Acheronta Movebo
by tiger7210
Summary: I fought through a parasite-infested tree, a deadly cave, the belly of a whale, and countless temples.I killed the King of Thieves and saved this land. But when it was all said and done, I was sent back in time by the woman who asked me to do it. This time Hyrule will fall as it has before.But it won't be at the hands of Ganondorf. I saved this kingdom, and I will destroy it again.
1. One

**New story, one that I'm terribly excited about.**

**I'm turning over a new leaf: no more fluff, and no more happily ever afters. Nope. This story will not be for the faint hearted, let me tell you. It's a story of devastation, loss, anger, pain, and revenge. At least, that's what I told myself before I was writing. Against my better judgment, there **_**is**_**some ZeLink mixed in, because what kind of story would it be without it?**

**And a quick note to clarify: this story takes place after Ocarina of Time as if Majora's Mask never happened. **

**I didn't want to make this the preface as I normally do, so as a result this chapter one will be a tad short. Review and let me know what you think. This style of writing is a bit foreign to me, so it's not as good as it could be, I know.**

**(Roughly translated, Acheronta movebo on its own means "Hell will Move" in Latin, for those who are curious.)**

**Hope you guys enjoy.**

**~Alyssa**

_**Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo**_

…_**.**_

_**If I cannot move Heaven, I will raise Hell.**_

_**Now**_

I am not crazy. Not like they think I am.

I am not a monster, nor a callous, heartless demon. I have never ravaged a village or sacrificed a child on an alter, never raped or pillaged or plundered.

But I am a murderer.

I've killed more creatures than I can count: Moblins, Lizalfos, and Redeads by the hundreds, swarms of Keese that suffocate you and turn the world around you black, Stalfos that you could keep hitting for ages and never die.

And exactly two people.

If you could even call them people.

One was a Bandit King, ruler over the Gerudo, the race of thieves. He almost took Hyrule for his own, claiming the Triforce of Power and taking thousands of lives as he conquered the land with his army of terrible, monstrous creatures. For seven years he laid waste to the kingdom I called home, destroying everything in his path on a conquest to the crown, showing no mercy to any man, woman, or child that stood in his way. It was I who had the responsibility of saving my home from this monster, and after an adventure of great trials and tribulation, I ended him.

But this was in another life.

The other was a Princess, destined to regain the throne after this time of great peril. Bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom, she stood by me on this journey, healing my wounds and mending my heart. Everything I knew about the world around me, I owed it to her, with her know-it-all remarks and proud comments. But Goddess, I loved her for it. I loved her more than I can say. She was the most beautiful woman I have ever known. My heart was hers before I was even aware it could be taken.

What a fool I was.

I gave up everything for her. Anything I had to give, it was hers, from the moment I laid eyes on her. It was what sent me on my adventure to begin with, seeing the pleading and tears in her sapphire eyes that I vowed to never see again.

She used this to her advantage.

To her, I gave my protection and care, my life in the Kokiri, any hope I had of a normal childhood, and on several occasions quite nearly my life. I sacrificed seven years to save her, locked inside the Temple of Time in an enchanted sleep no one could hope to break.

And do not be fooled, she took it. She took it all without blinking, and when this wasn't enough, stole my heart in addition.

And what was my reward?

The woman that I loved, the Princess of Destiny, she sent me back in time.

She cursed me in this retched world, where no one I cared for remembered me, all the power and peace and friends I had worked and sweat and bled for erased. I was no longer the Hero of Time, no longer a Kokiri, just a boy. A stupid, useless, good-for-nothing _boy_ with nothing to his name but the clothes on his back and a broken heart.

And she herself did not even recognize my face.

Of this fact I did not realize until I had snuck into her garden, nearly overwhelmed by the waves of nostalgia as I tiptoed past the patrolling guards.

As I walked into her private courtyard, my ears were greeted by the rushing of water, flowing in the eternally surging river that snaked around the circular space. My boots crunched on the grass as I approached the staircase that led to her backwards form. Intently did I stare at the small of her back, the veil that just hung over her shoulders, remembering the awe and wonder the time this moment last happened. I was not keen on breaking the beautiful silence, but I knew she had heard me approach.

Timidly did she turn around, just her head at first, then the rest of her followed as her hands flew to her mouth, something unreadable deep in her eyes.

Love as only an eight year old boy could experience it surged through my veins. I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry, and I couldn't get into my Princess's embrace soon enough.

"Princess!" I cried out, joy and triumph imminent in my voice as I ran forward, raising my arms.

Her head jerked back, her eyes widening at an alarming rate as she took a step back, trying to increase the distance between us yet again.

"Wh-who are you?"

My smile froze on my face as all the love and happiness I had felt just a second ago had vanished from my chest. I'd faltered in my step then, coming to a halt just a few feet away from her.

"How did you get past the guards?" she demanded, pressing her back against the wall with the window.

My breath left me as I stared at her with uncomprehending eyes. "Princess?" I asked again, talking a step closer. Tears sprang to my eyes as I realized what I saw in hers: Incomprehension. Fear. "Zelda?"

She cocked her head to the side, biting down on her lip. "I-I apologize, but I must ask you to leave. I-I do not know how you made it past my guards, but no one is permitted in the castle without special permission." Her voice was very formal, very strangled, and very not like the princess I had fallen in love with.

"You do not remember me?" I breathed, reaching my left hand out again, and realizing with a violent jolt of shock that the faded golden triangle no longer resided there.

She shook her head slightly. "I am sorry sir, but if you do not leave here this instant I will call my guards and have you thrown in jail." Her voice was slightly more powerful as she regained herself, her eyes becoming hard.

"Zelda, please!" I cried, panic filling my heart as I took another step forward. "Listen to me! That man in there, Ganondorf, he's evil! He's going to take over the world! You- you have to tell your father! You have to stop him!"

"Guards!" She shrieked, and immediately several of the paladins that I had passed on patrol came rushing in, grabbing me by the shoulders.

"Please, listen to me!" I begged, fighting at the men and cursing the Goddesses for erasing the tremendous strength I had possessed before I had woken up again. "You have to stop him! He will _kill_ you! He'll kill everyone! I can't save you again!"

"Come on, little tyke." grunted the man to my left, locking my one of my flailing arms into place. "Let's get you back to your parents."

"Zelda!" I yelled in a rush, planting my feet firmly on the ground. "You seek the three spiritual stones! You hope to get to the Triforce before he does! But it will not work! You will hand him what he needs on a silver platter, and he will conquer this land, killing your father and almost succeeding in your murder!"

Something in her terrified look changed. She stared intently at me, her gaze becoming inquisitive. Whatever it was, though, it only lasted for a moment before it vanished from her face.

"I'm afraid you are sorely mistaken." She said in a strained voice that made it clear she was lying. "Please escort him out of the castle." She addressed the guards. "Do him no harm."

I warned her. That was all I could do. She had the choice whether to heed it or not. The fate of Hyrule rested on her shoulders now, not mine.

I went limp then, allowing the two guards to carry me away. I strained my neck over the guard's shoulder, hoping to catch one last glimpse of her face. And there she was, her endless sapphire eyes staring into my own.

It would be the last time I would see her for over a decade.

I eventually grew to hate that woman. She sent me back in time, away from everything I had worked for, everyone that I loved, the peaceful Hyrule I had saved. She took my devotion to her and spit on it, throwing it away like it was nothing. Or worse, like it was hers to do what she pleased with.

She sent me back to regain my seven years, but simply disposing of me could not fix her mistakes. She did not realize at the time that returning me to my former years would not reimburse me for going to hell and back to save her.

Her idiotic mistake of sending me back in time only added to her debt to me.

A debt I had her pay in blood.


	2. Two

**Wow. Very pleased with all the positive feedback on the first chapter. Yes, this means I will be continuing. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, keep it up please. It really motivates me to keep writing.**

**~Alyssa**

**(As a side note, in my imagination Castle Town and Kakiriko are sort of bigger and more like Castle Town in Twilight Princess.)**

**(Nox means night or darkness in Latin. It'll make sense later)**

_**Non caro et sanguis, sed cor patrum ad filios, quae facit.**_

…_**.**_

_**It is not flesh and blood, but the heart which makes us fathers and sons.**_

_**Now**_

For a long time, I wandered.

Torn, broken from the events that had taken place at the castle, with nowhere to go and no one to help me, I hadn't the faintest idea what to do with myself. Castle Town wasn't an option, not with how close proximity I would be to her. Just the idea of possibly seeing her making appearances around the town was unthinkable. But I couldn't return to the Kokiri, either. They didn't want me. I wasn't one of them. And something told me if I went to Lon Lon Ranch, there would be a similar episode.

So that left one option, one that I had put off as much as possible. Kakiriko.

I had waited as long as I could to face the familiar town, exhausting my supply of food until nothing was left. Finally, there was no way to put it off. No other choice.

So with a sinking feeling of dread in my stomach, I headed towards Death Mountain on the horizon.

This was where my second adventure, however less glamorous or heroic it was, began. And trust me, it was harder than anything I'd ever done before.

Picking up the shattered pieces of my worthless existence and trying to fit them back together again.

Farore, just simply living.

**ox(O)xo**

_**Then**_

I was eight years of age when I joined the Glaive.

I had wandered into Kakiriko, tired and hungry and as alone as I had ever been in my years. The sky was just turning dark as I climbed the stairs, lugging my pouch of recently emptied of rations on my back.

I hadn't the rupees to rent a room at the inn, and no amount of begging would sway the receptionist. I told her I recognized her face. I told her I used to round up her cuckoos. She was so kind to me back then, but now she slammed the heavy oak door in my face. I could just catch snippets of her mumbling through the cracks.

"Dirty street rat…I thought he'd never leave…"

She was right, of course. I had planned on milking her sympathy until she allowed me a room—or any place to sleep inside the warm building. And her opinion based on my appearance was perfectly reasonable as well.

My tunic was faded and torn, and my boots were falling apart at the seams. I'd ripped my hat somewhere in the forest and taken it off, and the hair it usually kept hidden was matted and filthy. In fact, everything on me was filthy. I hadn't bathed in ages, and even then it was only in the moat of Castle Town. How could she have known that I, a lonely wandering child, was once the Hero of Time?

A word to describe me then would have been pathetic. Only pathetic little boys had to sleep in ditches by the roadside. And only pathetic little boys were forgotten.

Tears stung the corners of my eyes, and I wanted nothing more than to hit something. Hurt it. Break it. Destroy it. With a cry of rage I tore a branch from a nearby tree and began assaulting the shrubbery. Grass and leaves flew in every direction. Dirt sprang up from the score mark I was whipping into the ground.

The tears flew freely then, and with every blow I shouted the one thing prodding my mind; "Why! Can't! You! Remember!"

The passerby watched me warily from a distance, and what I saw in their eyes struck me to the core: I was just a child now. A child throwing a temper tantrum. This did nothing to soothe my fury.

The stick cracked in two, and this time I directed my rage at _it_. I took the halves over my knee and snapped them as well, then hurled them one by one towards the warm, inviting windows of the inn. I heard a satisfying crash, and the receptionist's shriek. Breathing heavily and pleased with my destruction, I disappeared into the shadows.

Soon enough I had found a small nook between two shops where I could spend the night. After checking to be sure it was unoccupied by other vagabonds, I dug out a small cavity in the dirt to shield me from the winds, and lined it with dead leaves. My rucksack doubled as a pillow, the remaining leaves served as a makeshift blanket. All in all, not too shabby. I was just closing my eyes when…

"Not bad, boy. Have you some practice with a blade?"

I jumped at the sound of the unfamiliar voice. It was low and melodious, with a slight lilt to the vowels. And it was coming from right above me.

"Steady, steady. I didn't mean to frighten you." He paused, and then, "The name's Baxter. And you are?"

I stared up at him incomprehensibly, for a moment losing the ability to speak as I took in the hulking figure of him. He stood higher than six feet tall, with bulging, tapered muscles on every inch of his body. At my staring he looked a tad awkward, shifting his weight uncomfortably.

"Er…well, that's alright too. You don't have to tell me right now." I looked at him skeptically.

"The way you say that makes it seem like there's a later."

He laughed – a hearty laugh that rippled through his whole body. It charged the air with positive energy, and left a smile on my lips. Granted, it was a wary smile, but the first of any sort in weeks.

"There could be…" He picked at his fingernails for a moment before meeting my eyes. "Were you planning on sleeping there tonight?" He gestured to the place that I'd been lying. I nodded.

"Figured as much." His solemn face was then replaced by a completely different one – one with a welcoming smile that formed lines around his gleaming eyes. This was the face of a happy man. "I like you, boy. You've got spirit. How'd you like to come back with me to my home?"

"Home?" I asked, wonder unconsciously filling my voice. I had not had a true home since before my adventure. Home. A place where I would be welcome, where I would always have a bed and a place at the table. The concept was entirely foreign to me.

"Aye." He said, a grin coming across his face. "My wife Zenith holds down the fort, but the rest of 'em earn their keep as well."

"The rest of them?" I repeated. His face was youthful, too young to have children old enough to work for themselves. I quickly drew my own conclusions. "You're a part of a clan?"

"You could call it a clan," he said, his expression suddenly thoughtful. "Or maybe a troupe, or a tribe, or even a family. But whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one, and we have one." He looked down at me, his eyes meeting mine. The gentleness and kindness that shone in them were nearly impossible to resist. Of course he was right. A part deep inside of me longed to be nurtured, to have the benefits of a home, to have people I could confide in. And if he was offering such a treasure to me, who was I to refuse?

"Lead the way," I said, my voice very small and insignificant as I picked my belongings off the ground and slung them over my back, going to join him on the cobbled stones.

"That's a good lad!" he guffawed, clapping me on the shoulder, pushing me in a forward direction.

For a short while he led me through town, the voices of people going about their shopping and jingling of store bells filling my ears. Light poured from the many window shops, illuminating the paths on which we walked.

Eventually we got to the less appetizing part of Kakiriko, where it was not uncommon for a cry for help to be heard in the distance or a body littering the street. Tourism was scarce here and funds were not given to keep it as beautiful as the square. We stayed in this area longer, walking farther and farther away from the lively noises of the town, where the light was sparse and a very thick blanket of despair hung in the air.

Abruptly, he turned a corner, a small crevice in the wall that had escaped my notice. We were in a small passage between two buildings, where no light penetrated the shadows. He unceremoniously threw aside a ladder leaning against the wall, and turned to his side.

Looking to the ladder, I opened my mouth in confusion, but when I glanced back to him, Baxter had disappeared. I took a step closer to the wall, reaching my hand to touch it. Running my fingers along the rough, unsanded stone, I was baffled. How had he-

Suddenly the resistance of the wall vanished. My hand slid right through, and I nearly tripped from the shock. Intrigued, I pushed my arm in, feeling along the inside of the wall. It was a thin space, just big enough for a person to walk through. Experimentally, I mimicked Baxter's motions, turning so my hip faced the wall and slowly sliding through.

Sure enough, my body went through the "wall" as if it weren't there. It because quickly apparent why Baxter had sidestepped in. I was in a sort of hallway, so narrow a fully grown man could most certainly would not have fit. As it was I had a bit of trouble with my rucksack over my back, and I was but a child.

I winced as I was reminded of the fact yet again, biting down on my lip to stop the moisture in my eyes from escaping.

Slowly, I sidled through the passageway, ignoring the nausea that was brought on by my claustrophobia. There, at the end, the smiling figure of Baxter awaited me, waiting in front of a small yard and a building.

"See you figured it out, boy." He said, patting my back again. "Clever lad, good head on your shoulders, I'm sure."

"What-" I began, gesturing to the place I had just exited, where no visible hole was. "How does that work?"

He grinned knowingly, starting up the way to the residence. "A glamour. Garrett's brilliant with them." He looked at me, my ignorance obviously showing on my face. "You'll be meeting him in a moment. He'll explain if you ask him. But I'll warn you; once you get him started it won't be easy to shut him up."

As we approached I could hear the happy sounds of laughter mixed with a merry tune on a fiddle, coming from behind the door. The sound was so contagious; I had a brief moment where I battled a smile of my own. A sound bubbled in my throat but was repressed, coming out as a cough rather than what it was intended. It had been a long time since I had laughed. Perhaps I had forgotten how.

"This is where you live?" I asked. It was almost too good to be true.

He pushed open the door, warm light spilling into the shadows of the yard. "Aye, my boy. Welcome to the Glaive."

A lanky, sandy-haired boy—the one that was playing the fiddle—abruptly stopped his playing, looking up at the sound of the door, his eyes meeting mine. I realized with a pang of shock that they were a blood red. At the surprise on my face he smirked, setting down his instrument and coming forward.

"Who's this, Baxter?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest. There was laughter in his voice, a friendly, teasing tone that drew me to him immediately.

Two others sitting around a scrubbed table looked to Baxter as well, a man and woman. The woman's copper hair was pulled high into a ponytail, two strands left down to frame her cheekbones. A pleased smile appeared on her face as she stood as well, revealing a longsword that clung to her hip. The man remained seated, raising an eyebrow as he stared at me, his long brown hair tied back in a similar fashion to Baxter's. His eyes never left mine as I awkwardly followed Baxter further inside. I felt naked under his scrutiny.

"Found him in the middle of the street reeking havoc on some bushes. Looked like he could use a friend." Baxter explained, reaching to rest a hand on my shoulder. "I'll be right back."

With that, he jogged past the table and disappeared up the staircase, leaving me alone with these strange people.

It was the red-eyed boy who broke the silence, taking a step forward, and holding out his hand. "We don't bite, you know." He grinned. "I'm Archer."

"Archer?" I asked automatically. The name was not Hylian, nor any of the outlying countries that neighbored Hyrule. Perhaps this was the reason why he had such…foreign features. He was not from here.

I suppose my fear of his crimson eyes was in my voice, for he laughed again before shaking my hand firmly.

"You've never met a Sheikah?" he asked before closing his eyes. "Sorry—just a moment…"

He let go of my hand, his face twisted as though he was trying to solve a difficult arithmetic problem in his head, screwing his eyes shut and balling his fists. Abruptly, he relaxed, his eyes fluttering open. I jerked back, a jolt of shock and fear running through me yet again.

His eyes were no longer a sinister, blood red, but a light blue-hazel, the same color of the sky just at the brink of dawn.

Another laugh escaped his lips as he saw the look on my face. "Yes. You've never met a Sheikah. You've probably never heard of them either. Most Hylians think we're extinct. We're a race of shape-shifters, people of the shadow that can become whoever we want to be."

No, I wanted to tell him. I knew Sheikah. In fact, I knew and had rescued the _leader_ of the Sheikah from certain death, then awaked them as the Sage of Shadow in a mission to rescue Hyrule.

But something told me that wouldn't be a good way to make friends.

I chuckled nervously. "If you can change the way you look, why do you keep your eyes such a…noticeable color?" I stammered, still trying to recover myself.

He took a thoughtful expression, shrugging his shoulders. "It looks cool."

"I see." The childlike simplicity of his reasoning brought a smile to my face.

Baxter thundered back down the steps then, holding a bundle of cloth in his hands. Holding them out to me, he grinned triumphantly. "I found you some clean clothes. We can fix them up for you if they're too big."

I shook out the folded garments, holding the blue tunic and tan breeches up to my chest. They were warm and dry, and smelled lovely—a luxury I had not had since living with the Kokiri. "Thank you," I said fervently, "This is wonderful."

"Archer, take him up to your room, will you? Show him where he's staying. " Baxter said, going to sit beside the woman, taking her hand. This must be Zenith, his wife he spoke briefly of.

"Will do." said Archer, tugging on my arm once. "Come on."

He bounded up the steps, gesturing for me to follow him.

I emerged onto a rather narrow landing, and Archer glanced back at me eagerly, before starting the tour. We began at the end of the hallway, and worked our way back towards the stairs. The floorboards creaked underfoot as Archer pointed out every room.

"That there's the washroom, Baxter and Zenith's room," He put a hand on my shoulder and glared down at me in mock-seriousness, "Trust me, when the door is shut, don't even think of going in. I learned the hard way." He shuddered – causing me to grin – and went on. "Garrett's room – it doubles as his workshop, a spare bedroom – never know when we'll pick up a new one, and finally…" He took hold of the doorknob and flashed me a radiant smile. "My room."

The door swung open to reveal a quaint little room, hardly the size of an ordinary closet. Along one wall sat a bunk bed, the top rumpled and unmade, with black and white pictographs tacked on the wall beside it, the bottom held only a flimsy stained mattress. On the other wall sat a single bed, but without any cushion the frame looked uncomfortable and uninviting. Between the two sat an old flat topped chest – doubling as storage and a table, I supposed – and on the floor was a dingy thatched rug.

Archer leaned against the door frame. "It's not much, I know. But it's something I can call mine." He raised his light eyebrows and smiled. "Well, ours now."

I laughed lightly, savoring in the sound and sitting on the bottom bunk. "It's perfect."

We were called back down then, and I was immersed in the tales they began to tell me, reveling in being able to laugh, having peace of mind.

It was beautiful.

In the short time that we'd known each other, Archer had already taught me this; having something to call your own was the greatest thing in the world. Upstairs was _my_ room. And this was_my_ friend. And here, sitting around this table, the prospects of _my_ family. Mine, all mine. Even though I did not know them well at all, I could sense they would be a treasure, a wonderful thing that not every man was able to experience, that only a fool would refuse.

After an hour or so, Archer led the way back up to his—our—bedroom. He quickly stripped off his clothing and I did the same, pulling the covers back and sliding between the fresh sheets that Zenith had provided for me. The simple pleasure of having a bed after months was confounding.

The frame creaked above me as Archer climbed into bed as well.

"Hey Archer?" I asked after a minute, curiosity getting the best of me.

"What?"

"Why aren't there any windows? You showed me every room in the house, and there's not a single window."

"Because we're thieves." He spoke through a yawn. "We're a disgrace to public society, and most of us have a fine price on our heads. That's what happens when the rupees get tight – we draw sticks and Baxter turns in the unlucky fella. Dead, more often than not. Doesn't pay nearly as well as alive, but hey, it's what we gotta do. Wouldn't want them spilling our beans, eh? Either way, we'll be living fat for weeks." He chuckled dryly, and I imagined his sneer. But I said nothing. I was too horrified to think, let alone talk.

He shifted so that his head dangled over the side of the bed. His crimson eyes danced in the candlelight. "I was only joking, you know…"

"Oh," I choked out. "Of course." I stared at the wood of the bedframe above, pondering his sincerity before I spoke again.

"Hey Archer?"

"Mmmph?"

"Who are those people in your pictographs?"

He sucked in a breath, then hesitated a moment. "My parents. The pictograph was taken when I was young, probably no more than three years old…but they're gone, now."

"Oh. My parents are dead. I never knew them."

"Lucky you. Mine were terrible. Well, I shouldn't say that. Actually, they were incredible parents. But they had renounced the Sheikahn lifestyle. They hid themselves, and moved out to the countryside to live in a great manor house, happily ordinary. But I hated ordinary. They loved me the best they could, but how can anyone truly love something that they've evaded all their lives."

"They were planning to take me out of Hyrule, over the mountains where a lot of…retired Sheikah are. We were about halfway over Death Mountain, way past where Goron City was…and then we were attacked. My father was driving the wagon, he got taken out first. When my mother heard that the bandits were raiding us, she hid me underneath our things and tried to keep them out. They stabbed her and stole her coin purse. I could hear them kicking through the rest of our things, but I guess they didn't find anything good, because they all cleared out pretty soon after that. I crawled out from under the sacks that she hid me, and I held her hand while she died. I tried to stop the bleeding best I could, but even then I knew that when a pool of blood had gotten to a certain size there was no going back."

"…She told me she loved me. She told me to be a good boy and go back to Hyrule and make my father proud. And then she closed her eyes with this little smile on her face, and her grip on my hand relaxed, and I knew she was gone."

I heard him choke back a sob, and I knew the conversation had ended. But I wasn't scared anymore, I wasn't sad. I felt empty, like someone had hollowed out my chest and took all the feeling with it. But no… I did feel one thing. I felt cold, very cold. I rolled over and squinted my eyes shut, begging sleep to take me, but of course it would not.

"Hey…" He was whispering hoarsely now.

"Yes?" I kept my voice just as low.

"You got a name?"

I hesitated. Silence was not an option now, not after Archer had spilled his past and his heart to me. Then it came to me. A name from the ancient texts, the uncommon title to the thing that still haunted my nightmares all these months later—My other. My shadow. The darkness inside of me.

The only battle I almost didn't win, with one exception.

"Nox. I'm called Nox."

He leaned down, blowing out the candle, his smile glittering in the darkness.

"Welcome to the Glaive, Nox."

I laid awake for several more minutes, wide eyed and thoughtful.

Archer had taught me another thing.

He taught me that I am a part of a world of darkness, of hate and pain and death.

Link was the Hero of Time. He served his duty with the Triforce of Courage, saving the land and falling in love on the way, making lifelong friendships and gaining experience and prestige that I could have enjoyed until the day I died.

But no. That was all ripped from me before I even had the chance to step foot off the battlefield.

Link was dead. Gone.

I was Nox.

I was not the boy I was any longer.

**ox(O)xo**

As soon as the boys had disappeared up the staircase and out of earshot, the adults gave up their façade of winding down for the night, cutting right to the conversation they'd been holding in for hours.

It was Zenith that spoke up first.

"What do you think of him?"

She finished wiping the remnants of their dinner from the table, taking the sodden cloth and wadding it up, tossing it carelessly into the washbasin, her attention turned to her husband.

It landed in its directed place with a loud _thunk_, and Baxter applauded her dexterity before speaking.

"Seems like a clever boy. Old for his years. He'll make a good, level-headed friend for Archer." He stood from his seat at the table, walking into the miniscule sitting area to stoke the dying fire. "What are you getting, Garrett?" he asked, acknowledging the man who now occupied the weathered old armchair tucked away into the corner, half-hidden behind a bookshelf.

"I don't know yet." Garrett said, his nose scrunching up slightly in distaste. "I have a rather off feeling about him."

Zenith paused in her scrubbing, looking over her shoulder to stare at him peculiarly. "What do you mean by that? He's only a child. And he seemed over the moon to be with us."

The older man cocked his head thoughtfully before giving his answer. "I haven't the faintest clue." He admitted, closing his book and resting his head on a hand, frustrated. "Something about him simply rubs me the wrong way. There's something…dark about the air around him. It tastes like magic."

Baxter grimaced. "Better have him here then out in the open. Keep an eye on him. You'd be able to handle him in the event that things got out of hand, right?"

"Of course." Garrett rolled his eyes. "Even if he _is _some sorcerer's apprentice or a wandering shaman's assistant, which I highly doubt, he's only a child. Calls himself Nox. How amusing."

"Nox?" asked Zenith, pulling the leather cord out of her hair and hopping lightly over the couch, sitting cross-legged with her hands in her lap. "How do you know that?"

"He just told Archer so," Garrett informed them, his voice spiteful. "They're having a nice little chat. Probably just made it up on the spot. He doesn't want us to know who he really is."

Baxter placed a calming hand on his friend's shoulder. "I'm sure he has his reasons. We will trust him until he proves himself untrustworthy."

The other man huffed out his breath, annoyed. "There's a very fine line between trust and naivety, Baxter."

Baxter smiled patiently. "Aye," he agreed. "And we will be careful not to cross it. But for now, let the boy sleep. Tomorrow is another day. We'll get to know him then."

Garrett made an irritated sound. "When this blows up in our faces, don't say I didn't warn you."

The larger man laughed, the hearty sound filling up the room. "I won't, friend." He promised, patting his shoulder reassuringly. "I won't."


	3. An Interlude

_It's over._

_I'm finished._

_After months and months of beating the odds, cleansing the temples, killing the biggest, nastiest demons that roamed in them and running around in a corrupted Hell of a Hyrule, I had finally met my match._

_And to a great ugly pig, no less._

_Ganondorf's menacing form hovered over me, preparing to sink his claws or teeth or sword or any of his other multitude of weapons hilt-deep in my chest._

_And the best part: I could hardly keep myself on my feet. My right arm hung limp and my side, nearly severed from my first encounter with his claws, my chest a similar story. I had burns and cuts all over my face from his magic, and I'd used my last healing potion so long ago I could not even feel the positive effects anymore._

…_But he was weakened, too. I just needed one good hit and I could finish this, once and for all._

_Not that I would get a chance. Weakened he may be, but even his weak spots were not all that weak to begin with._

_Farore. I was done for._

_The great pig's face twisted into a grimace that must have been what passed for a smile as he prepared to pounce, his ginormous teeth so close to my face I could smell his putrid breath. _

_Just before he could, a bright, golden light suddenly blinded me, sending the beast howling in pain. _

"_Link! I'm using…my-my powers to hold him! You…use your sword and…deliver the final blow!"_

_The light coming from her hands ceased as she toppled forward, clutching at her chest. She hit the ground face first._

"_Zelda!"_

_It took all my willpower not to run to her. The power she must have used to make him hold still could very well have cost her life. I had to give her my last stamina potion, send Navi to her, something, anything to give me reassurance that she would be safe._

_But I couldn't. She had just saved my life, given me a perfect opportunity to end this, and I wouldn't make her sacrifice in vain._

_Drawing all my strength, I tightened my grip on my sword. Time slowed down as I ran at the trembling monster, waiting until the last moment and jumping high into the air._

_My eyes locked with his beady ones for a moment. In that single, inconsequential second, I hoped to see something that would make him redeemable: remorse, guilt, repentance… but I saw nothing of the sort. Just an animalistic, eternal hatred that made my aim sure. He had killed so many people…ruined so many lives…and he had earned his end at the tip on my blade._

_Time sped back up as I landed on his head, the Blade of Evil's Bane smashing through the gem on his forehead and burying itself hilt deep in his skull, right between the eyes._

_I had defeated Ganondorf. It was over._

_I fell from his lifeless body, gravity finally catching up from me as I landed on my bad arm, causing me to nearly white out from the pain. The adrenaline that had coursed through my body had left as quickly as it had come, and I could finally feel the full extent of my wounds._

_I was dying._

_There was no denying it: feeling this weightless, this serene with all of the injuries I had sustained made me realize that I was closer to death than I had ever been before. Perhaps gone beyond the point of return._

_Through the white haze in my head I heard my princess calling to me. "No! Link! Oh, Goddesses, no!" A weight lifted off my chest, making me even lighter as I drifted. She was alright. "Link! Speak to me! Please!"_

_My eyelids fluttered, and beyond the film that clouded my eyes I could see an outline of her face, tears dripping down her cheeks. Her sapphire eyes bored into mine, begging for a response._

_I tried to lift my hand to caress her cheek, wipe her tears away, console her in any way that I could, but it was futile. The only thing I succeeded in was sending more white-hot pain coursing through my veins. I gasped aloud, my body convulsing._

_"…Zelda?" I moaned, still trying to reach out to her._

"_Sages! Quickly! Help me!"_

_What did she need help with? I was happy. ecstatic even. The war with evil was over. We won. I could die here, now, knowing my purpose was fulfilled. But one thing still tugged at the edges of my mind. She needed to know. She needed to know that I loved her, and I fought and died for her. Everything was always for her._

_"Zelda...," I started, weakly, "...there's something I need to tell you..."_

_"Save your energy, Link. Everything will work out fine, I promise." she told me. But I had to tell her. Nothing was going to stop me._

_"Zelda...," I began again, "...Listen to me..." She opened her mouth to object again, but I silenced her with a fierce look. "Thank you for being there...for helping me…but my time here is over. I'm dying, Zelda, but I can die happy, knowing I served you... I saved Hyrule for you... I did all this, because I love you..."_

"_You're not going to die!" she snapped, ripping the hem from her dress and addressing my right arm. I winced, even the tenderest of touches causing pain. "I won't let you."_

_"I'm afraid he's right, Zelda."_

_The deep, gravelly voice of Darunia came from behind her, his eyes crinkled and remorseful. "We came too late."_

_"No! No we didn't!" she cried, her voice fierce. "He's going to be _fine_!"_

_"Zelda. There comes a time when you must learn to let go." said the stern voice of Impa, a strange gentleness lacing her voice. "The Sacred Realm will take him with open arms."_

"_You did the best you could." Ruto sighed, coming to stand by the rest. "We all did. But it's too late."_

_"It is _not _too late!" she shrieked at them, grabbing my pouch and frantically starting to rummage through my many weapons and items until she found what she was looking for. She jerked her hand out, the Ocarina of Time shimmering in her fingertips. "Goddess _dammit_! I can still save him!"_

_"What are you doing with the Ocarina?" I demanded, my voice completely unfamiliar, the weak and hoarse tone of death scaring me silly._

_"Link…there's no time…I…" _

_She brought the instrument to her lips, a familiar, haunting melody filling the night. However, I couldn't place it immediately. My eyes were lulled shut by the soothing aria, and my breathing began to relax. The song reminded me of peaceful places: the roaring, crystal waters of Zora's Domain, the quiet chirping of crickets in the secret places of the Lost Woods, an unseen, eternal choir chanting the same melody over and over in the Temple of Time…_

_Time._

Time.

_She was playing the Song of Time._

_My eyes shot open as I came to this realization, trying to grab in the instrument out of her hands._

"_What are you doing?"_

_Her tearful eyes met mine as she twisted out of my grasp, pausing in her playing. "I'm sending you home…where you're supposed to be…the way you're supposed to be…"_

_She could not be doing this. Why was she doing this? Did she not care for me as much as I loved her? Did my companionship and love mean that little to her? Now that my duty was done, she wanted to be rid of me? No. I would not let her! Not after everything I'd worked and sweat and bled for, all for her…_

"_Zelda! No!"_

_The world turns blue around me as I struggle to get up, the brilliant blue light blinding my vision, the whistle of the wind and an unplaced ringing filling my ears…_

"_I'm sorry…"_

"…_Zelda…"_

_Her voice was as faint as the evening wind as I heard her for the last time._

"_Goodbye…"_

**A/N: Chapter three is almost completed. You didn't wait two weeks for this, I promise.**


	4. Three

**Another exposition-heavy chapter; more of that bloodlust and action you saw in chapter one won't be happening for a bit longer, I'm afraid. It's hard writing an entire person's past. Harder than I would have expected.**

**Thanks once again for all the lovely reviews—keep them up please!**

Happy reading :)

**~Alyssa**

_**Quae nobis futura vita non debere.**_

**….**

_**Life is under no obligation to give us what we expect.**_

_**Now**_

It was strange, almost, how unequivocally I trusted them. Even that first night I felt as if I belonged, a part of their dysfunctional family.

As the weeks passed, I learned much about who they were. Garrett was born a mage, forsaken as an infant and adopted by Baxter's parents. His abilities were limited to what he knew how to do; and even then, what he was able to do without blowing something up. It frustrated him greatly to know he left so much of his power untapped, although with no formal training his skill was amazing. He and Baxter had been as close as brothers, and left their family about four years ago, coming to Kakiriko and finding a seven-year old Archer half dead on the side of the road. They found an abandoned shack in the back of the alleyway and set up their base.

Zenith came two years later, having been sold through the brothels, the black market where women were the merchandise. She escaped, but was chased by the people who imprisoned her. She ran into the alleyway, hiding in the shadows, her pursuers just about to discover her, when someone grabbed her by her ponytail and pulled her through the wall. "And the rest is history" Baxter would say, looking slightly uncomfortable, a blush creeping up over his neck, as he quickly changed the subject.

Together, the four formed The Glaive: Kakiriko's infamous band of thieves. With the falling economy and famine fast approaching, many of the wealthy were hoarding food and gold, making the merchants and their workers suffer.

The Glaive stole from these people, buying various products from the many merchants that made their livelihood in Kakiriko and giving them to the desperately poor, thus balancing the financial system—but also sometimes simply for themselves. This did not come without a price: they were constantly on the run from the law. The only time they were safe to roam the streets was under the cover of darkness. Then the world was theirs—or (although I had yet to have a price on my head) ours, rather.

During the first months or so that I had joined them, I was limited to mainly household duties. Many of the people, children or otherwise, that they took in left within the first few weeks, simply needing a kind word and a warm meal to get them back up on their feet. With the rotating help they couldn't exactly get used to someone contributing regularly when they could very well be gone the next day.

"We're not a cult." Archer said when I asked him why they let those people leave. "We're here to be the help that we couldn't find when we needed it. And most decent folks never forget the people who saved their lives. All the homeless and poor, they've got ears, too. They make good allies, and they wouldn't dare rat us out."

I was a rarity, they told me later. Hardly anyone chose to stay past the first month, and if they did, the usually left sometime during the second. By the time I had passed both of the milestones they had already completely accepted me into their family.

Baxter began to take me out on errands at night; just trivial things, like buying milk from the farmers and bread from the bakery. Slowly, he inducted me to the ways of the Glaive, places I could hide if I was on the run, people that would take me in.

"You have a smarter head on your shoulders than any kid your age I've met." He said, his face solemn. It was the first time I had ever seen him so serious. "But if you ever get caught being around me, or with Garrett, or getting caught in the act, you run like Hell. You find a place, and act like a scared, orphaned child until they let you in. And then you stay there, you hear me?"

There was one night, one specific night that I'll always remember, and can tell you in detail. It changed me irrevocably, the way I saw the world and the hatred I felt for it. Although it may seem like a trivial thing that at nine years old I was much too young to appreciate, but appreciate I did. This was the turning point in my short depression, therefore something important to contribute to my story, to help you understand my plight.

I am not crazy. However I will not deny that I am burdened.

Let me explain.

**ox(O)xo**

_**Then**_

The wind was biting cold, and I turned up my collar as we headed towards the square, practically running to keep pace with Baxter's long strides. But I suppose it wasn't too bad a thing, as it gave me a valid excuse for a pounding heart. Every step we took was a step closer to getting caught. Thrown in prison. In Baxter's case, maybe even executed. But on and on he traversed, until we were consumed by a throng of passerby, each of whom hardly spared us a glance. Baxter must have noticed my astonishment.

"The evening crowd won't lift a finger against us. Odds are they've got just as much dirt under their fingernails as we do." He smiled reassuringly, and led the way deeper into town. "And I happen to have several personal friends that will take care of them if they do."

A shrill wail sliced through the happy sounds of mingling and music, causing both him and me to jump. I stopped in my tracks, automatically searching for the source, but Baxter carried on, looking over his shoulder. "Keep up, boy."

I broke into a jog, trying to find his head over the crowd of people that had inconveniently separated us. Instead of finding him, though, my eyes found a tree.

"Baxter, look at that."

It stubbornly clung to its leaves as those of its brethren browned and were tossed in the wind. For some reason, I respected it, a certain admiration filling me at the sight of its beautiful foliage. Why, I didn't know, or care. The fleeting feeling had left as soon as it came. But there, nestled against its trunk and among the discarded brush and roots, I discovered the source of the noise.

A baby.

Wrapped only in a thin, tattered swaddling cloth, its skin was a light blue, and blood was matted in its wispy strands of hair: blatantly less than a day old. The mother had left it to die on the side of the road, not even bothering to clean it. Its cries pierced the night, making itself rather known to the entire town, but hardly anyone spared a glance in its direction.

Its desperate wails ripped my heart, empathy and sorrow filling my chest. Hadn't my parents done the same with me? I was born, and they abandoned me in Kokiri Forest. However, there were individuals to help support and raise me. The Kokiri weren't here to save this child. It would die before it even knew what it was like to live.

And that wasn't fair. It hadn't done anything wrong. It had no say in whether it was to be conceived, whether it was to be born and unjustly thrust into a world where even its parents wouldn't love it. And because of several wrong decisions out of its control, it would die. Just like that.

No.

I wouldn't let it.

"Baxter!"

Finally finding him in the throng of people, I grabbed onto his arm, trying to force him to stop.

"What is it, boy?"

I gestured to the tree in which it rested under, my voice desperate. Didn't he hear it, too? "The baby."

"Yeh? What about it?" He looked confused, as if an abandoned child was a common occurrence. I was taken aback at his nonchalance. Was he that indifferent to Hylian life?

"It's going to die! We can't just leave it there!"

He put his hand on my shoulder, turning me away from the child. "Nox, listen. With the Brothels being as active as they are, there's children getting dumped on the streets every other day. This one's probably been out for a while, and even if we tried we wouldn't be fast enough to save it."

He started walking again, but I kept a firm latch on his arm. "No. We have to try. Please, Baxter. I…" I paused, racking my brain for a way to convince him. "My parents left me, too. I can't stand to see it abandoned. And…and if it is too late…at least we tried. I can't just leave it there. Please."

His eyes soften as he takes in my pleading expression, releasing my shoulder and half-turning towards the baby. "Look, Nox, I have some business to take care of, but you can head back to base, and take the kid with you." He shed his heavy coat, handing it to me. "Run like hell, kid"

Thanking him quickly, I turned around and took his advice, sprinting across the busy street with his coat in tow. There it was, nestled within the roots of a linden tree, still struggling and squalling, oblivious to the passerby. I scooped it up, frantically swaddling it with Baxter's coat, wanting to protect it immediately. I opened my own, stowing it quickly inside and redoing the buttons, clutching it to my chest and hoping it would take some of my warmth. Its skin was ice against mine.

I held it to me, running hell-for-leather back to the base, thanking the Goddesses I was so small that we were skinny enough to fit through the passageway.

I threw open the door, incredibly grateful for the wave of warm air from the crackling fire that washed over my face, panting heavily and leaning against the door for support.

"Gah…Garrett! Zenith! Argh-Archer! Come quickly!"

Archer appeared at the bottom of the steps immediately, his red eyes sparkling with excitement. "What is it?" he asked eagerly, "Did the police finally catch Baxter? Are they taking him to jail? Oooh, he owes me fifty rupees, we made a bet a few weeks ago, and he-"

"Not right now!" I snapped, quickly unbuttoning my coat and taking the child out. A tenderness touched my heart when I realized it had fallen asleep, but the feeling was sent straight to Hell when I realized its struggled pants were choked and harsh. "Where's Garrett and Zenith?"

Archer eyed the child, his face a bit repulsed as he took a step forward to get a better look. "Is that a baby?"

"_Yes, _Archer." I said, utterly exasperated, frustrated at him for no reason. I picked it up from the tangles of Baxter's bloodied coat, going to sit by the fireplace's invaluable warmth. "I need their help. Where are they?"

He paused, making sure to give me a funny look. I couldn't be sure what he was thinking—I didn't know him well enough yet to read his facial expressions—but he was clearly judging me. Whether it was positive or negative, there was no way of knowing.

"I think they're both upstairs." He said finally. Want me to go get them?"

"Please. And see if you can find any blankets."

He thundered back up the steps, leaving me alone to do what I would with the baby. With the heat from the fire, its skin was already turning back to its normal beige. Its eyes were still closed, but its breathing was no longer labored, instead the steady, muted tempo of sleep. However, its skin was still ice to the touch.

It was then, finally alone and left to think, I was able to question myself for my rash actions. I had acted in a brief state of compassion; but what would it do to me if it died?

And what would I do if it lived?

I didn't even know its gender and I was already taking responsibility for its life?

I myself had just been accepted into this excuse of a family. Who was I to force another onto them? What if they forced it out? What if they forced _me _out for bringing the menace to their home? I couldn't risk that. I had finally found a home, a place where I belonged, and I was loath to give the treasure up once I had finally discovered its worth. I began to become frantic. I had to get rid of it, I had to—

Before I could finish the panicked thought, the bundle in my arms stirred. I held it at arm's length, up to the firelight so I could see its face.

Slowly, its mouth widened into a large O, its ruddy pink face scrunching into a yawn, a small sigh leaving its lips. And then, the slits that were its eyes suddenly opened, staring deep into mine. Beautiful green irises, a sparkling emerald unlike anything I'd seen before peered back up at me. It smiled with a delicate giggle that seemed to make the room a bit brighter.

At that moment I wondered how I ever considered leaving it, my mindset just a few seconds ago abruptly thrust from my head. This…this glorious, innocent creature, this beautiful work of nature, no matter its short past, was mine now. In those inconsequential seconds, my choice in picking it off the street was made irreversible and irrevocable.

Seconds, minutes, hours passed, I don't know, but Archer finally reappeared on the steps with Zenith behind him and a bundle of woolen blankets in his arms.

She started towards me, her eyes immediately drawn to Baxter's messy and slightly bloodied coat. "What have you got there? Did Baxter—" She stopped short when she saw the contents of my bundle, her eyes widening with surprise. "Nayru! Is that a baby?" She rushed forward, going to grab it out of my arms. "Where did you find the poor dear?"

I handed the child to her exponentially more competent hands. "On the street. Zenith, tell me we can help it. Please." I begged, knowing fully well it was out of her hands but hoping with all my heart she would know what to do.

Her azure eyes hardened as they took on a strange determination. "Of course we can. We can try." She beckoned Archer forward, deftly unwrapping the tattered swaddling cloth. "Archer, Go get some water from the well, throw it over the fire. I need warm water. Nox, check the cupboard. I believe we have a bit of milk left. That needs to be warmed up, too." Her voice suddenly took on an affectionate tone. "She's a fighter, this little lady here."

"It's a girl?" I asked, freezing in my tracks as Archer bolted out the door with a bucket in tow.

"Yes." She smiled, taking the heavy blanket off the floor where Archer had dumped it and wrapping the baby up tightly, leaving only her face visible. "Now stop gawking at her and get that milk! I won't have her starve to death!"

Some hour later, after all the blood and frost had been scrubbed away and she was fed from a dusty old bottle Archer had scrounged up in the attic, Zenith settled down in front of the fireplace again, the infant asleep in her arms.

"Will she be okay?" I asked tenitavly, going to kneel beside the chair to peer at her tiny face.

"I believe so. You did well, Nox. You saved her life."

I bit my lip, folding my arms over the arm of the chair, looking up at Zenith with a pleading expression. "…We can keep her, can't we?"

For a long while, she only looked at me, face pondering as she saw something I could not even begin to guess at in my eyes. It was almost exactly the same look that Archer had given me earlier, though where his eyes were confused, hers were tender. Compassionate.

Slowly, her gaze returned to the child, lifting a finger to stroke the satin skin of her cheek. "It'll be hard." She said finally. "We'll have to be more careful than we have before. And Nayru knows what Baxter and Garrett will think…"

"But…?" I asked, hope rising and bubbling giddily in my chest as I watched her face melt.

She smiled, carefully reaching out to squeeze my arm without disturbing the baby's sleep. "I've always wanted a daughter." She said.

I allowed myself a small smile, a pleased blush burning my ears, though inside I was singing with joy.

She looked to me again as she continued. "And that means we need something to call her." She said, her voice thoughtful. "I thought you would like to name her."

Name her? Me? The child in me thought this an enormous task, a responsibility that I should not be allowed to be given. At the same time I was honored that Zenith had given me the choice, and another part of my brain was already trying to think of one.

It was a sad testament to my ruined mind when the first name that came to my lips was Zelda. Even the thought of her name made tears sting in the corners of my eyes. Although it was becoming an old wound, it hurt nonetheless. No. I would not name the girl after that traitor.

It was then that the resilient foliage of the linden tree filled my mind, almost the same shade as the girl's eyes. It was the tree, the linden tree that helped me find her. If it hadn't been so stubborn, so remarkably durable and strong, I would have never noticed it, or discovered the sound, carrying on with Baxter and leaving the child behind to die. The baby owed that tree. _I _owed that tree.

"Linden." I said, finally sure of myself. "We'll call her Linden."

If Zenith found my choice odd, it did not show on her face. "A beautiful name, Nox." She complimented me, smiling down at the sleeping child. "Welcome to the Glaive, Linden." She cooed, tapping her on the nose affectionately.

I allowed myself a small smile.  
_  
_Nox, 1

Death, 0.


	5. Four

**This chapter will be a bit different from the others. Link/Nox is actually a person. And he's an angsty teenage boy. In this timeline he gets to have a childhood, after which comes an adolescent-hood, and I decided that he would have some fun with it. So there's a bit of a different mood, a happier, lighter hearted one that I had an immense amount of fun writing. **

**Hope you enjoy, and thanks for the amazing reviews once again—if I haven't PMd you back yet, I'm sorry, I've been a bit backed up considering my Internet hasn't been working all that great lately (I've been having pretty bad thunder and lightning storms where I live, so it's messing with the connection more than often enough to drive me completely insane.)**

~Alyssa

_**Qui amicus est amat sciens et idem.**_

**. . . .**

_**A friend is one who knows you and loves you just the same.**_

_**Now**_

My preteenage years were loathsome.

Instead of spending them in a deep, enchanted sleep while Hyrule crumbled around me, I spent them coherent and thoroughly miserable.

The changes that puberty brought were something I had never experienced before, and to be quite honest, something I could have survived without.

However these were the years that I grew to be a person. I was a warrior no longer; the weight of saving Hyrule no longer rested upon my shoulders. For the first time in my life, I was able to be a child. An honest, happy, no consequences to think about child.

It was fantastic.

Linden was approaching her fifth year, and was in the "What is that?" phase that Garrett loathed and Archer adored. She questioned everything that could possibly be questioned and sometimes things that couldn't. It wouldn't be long until she pondered the unthinkable.

I could only imagine…

_A cold winter night, a fire roaring in the grate, and Linden sitting on Baxter's knee, nestled up against his broad chest like a sleepy kitten. Just when he thinks she'd fallen asleep, she stirs and gazes up at him with her innocent green eyes. _

"_Baxter?" Her voice is wispy and sleep-laden. _

"_Yes, sweetheart?" His voice is gravelly, like always, but with an undertone of affection._

"_Can I ask you something?"_

_He nods, half asleep, and she giggles. Then she takes a deep breath and puts on her best curious little girl face._

"_Where do babies come from?"_

_Silence._

"_Baxter, are you okay? You're twitching again…"_

"_I- uh... Well, you see… Th- they, uh…er… _Zenith_!" _

Just the thought of his face…

It was these years that I learned many valuable lessons that I never did in my old life. Things like trust and love, heart and dedication. And most importantly, how to be in a family. How to be a brother, a son, a friend. They were essential to the person I would become, and therefore essential for you to know, to be able to understand my tale.

I…I wasn't always crazy.

No, I'm not crazy. I can still remember…I was a normal person, once.

Once.

_**Then**_

I believe I was about thirteen in new-world years (if you counted the sixteen from before, which for a very long time I did, I was twenty-one), and Archer fifteen or sixteen. Whatever our ages were, we definitely weren't old enough to be doing what we were.

I can specifically remember this was the year my voice had finally gotten over squeaking, and also the year Archer decided he was interested in finding a girlfriend.

As much as I wished to join him in his ogling over the girls in the market, I simply couldn't bring myself to, for reasons much like when I was asked my favorite color. I would say green; silently screaming that it was actually blue: the color of time, the color of the Master Sword, the color of Lake Hylia, the color of the sky, but most importantly the color of _her _eyes...

I couldn't let go.

But that's not important.

Once a week Baxter went down to the local tavern, telling Zenith it was to get up to date with the gossip, making sure nothing potentially dangerous or threatening was brewing that would affect us, however in reality all he was looking for was a pint and a break.

One day he decided to take Archer and me along, for reasons I still can't fathom. But no matter the reason, he did, sitting down at a table in the middle of the lively bar, immediately striking a conversation with a man sitting nearby.

Archer and I were on top of the world, too awestruck to say anything. We were in a bar. An _actual _bar. Completely under the permission of Baxter.

A girl no older than us strode by, setting down three drinks on the table. Her light brown hair was pulled into a no-nonsense bun on top of her head, her blue eyes carefully watching the nearly overflowing mugs in her hands as she spun gracefully in between the tables, handing out drinks and dodging the roving hands of the rowdy barmen. And as she walked away, Archer's eyes followed her, unmistakable desire in his recently-changed hazel eyes.

Baxter elbowed him in the shoulder, grinning at the dumbstruck look on his face. "Like what you see, boy?" he guffawed, causing Archer to abruptly snap out of his reverie. "Please," he snorted, looking down at his drink and blushing, using both hands to take a sip.

This was also the year, now I that I can recall, that we discovered Archer's tolerance to alcohol.

By the end of the hour he had gone through his cup and three more, any sense of inhibition gone as he talked with the other men, bawdy filth spewing from his mouth. He was up there with the best of them, singing the pub songs at the top of his voice, egging on the fights that broke out, and flirting shamelessly with the barmaid—Elle, we learned from a man who had come to sit with us, the daughter of the barkeep.

I was still quite in my senses, having not even finished my first drink. It was fire going down my throat, a sensation that I did not enjoy and intended on staying away from. It was quite humorous watching the usually thoughtful and careful Archer out of his senses, all reservations put aside. However his limit was fast approaching and no one was stopping him.

His arms shook as he tried to take a swig, sloshing the brew over the table, his eyes unfocused.

"Why don't you cut it off there?" I suggested as I grabbed onto his arm, trying to pry the glass from his iron grasp.

"Nocksssss." He slurred, a confused look on his face as he stared at me. He laughed at his own statement, whatever he was about to say forgotten. "That's a funny name, you know that?"

"Yeah, yeah, hilarious." I rolled my eyes, pulling the cup from his hand. "I'm busting a gut. But no more, okay?"

He mimicked my expression, rolling his eyes with a goofy grin on his face. "We'll go soon. But where's that _pretty_ girl that gave us the drinks? I have to tell her somethinggggg…"

He stood up on his stool, scanning the room until he found the girl.

"OI ELLE! I-"

Finally Baxter—who had been completely useless at reining him in up until this point—intervened. "Time to go!" he interrupted, throwing an arm around his waist and hoisting him off the chair, thankfully stopping whatever he was about to say in his tracks.

"Waaaait!" Archer whined, struggling against Baxter's hold. "I _know _her! I neeeeed….I need to _tell_ herrrr…"

"You'll thank us later," I muttered, tapping him sympathetically on the arm as we left the tavern. "And I'm never letting you drink again."

**xxxx**

The next day, once he somewhat regained his senses, Archer decided that the barkeep's daughter was a girl worth pursuing, despite his first impression on her. As much as I warned him it was a bad idea—he'd truly made a fool out of himself—he was insistent on giving it a shot.

I went with Baxter and Linden on our rounds that day, wishing him a half-hearted good luck as we left.

True to her reputation Linden drew out our trip for hours. She was curious about everything—why the bread at the bakery rose, how the weavers spun their thread, how the tanner made his leather. It was so impossible to refuse her when she got that _look _in her eyes, that puppy-eyed I'm-just-an-innocent-little-girl face that got her everything she wanted.

It was dark by the time we returned home, Baxter's arms laden with the spoils of the day.

"Is Archer home?" I asked Garrett, who was sitting by the fireplace with a dusty book on his lap, the pages yellowed and crinkled with age.

"He's upstairs." He said, not looking up from his volume. "If you know what's good for you, you wouldn't bother him. He's a beast."

I laughed once empathatically, climbing the steps two at a time, cautiously opening the door. I stood in the threshold, a bit afraid to make his temper flare. Garrett's warning combined with the notes he was plucking from his fiddle spelled out exactly how things went with Elle.

"Something tells me it didn't work out?" I joked, hoping to get him back to his normal self.

His expression was less than expressed, and he continued to play the pizzicato notes of despair, much to my dismay.

"So…what are you playing?"

"I'm calling it, The I-got-kicked-to-the-curb-and-my-masculine-pride-ri pped-to-shreds-by-the-object-of-my-affections blues." He sang in a twangy voice, then sighed, putting down his violin and flopping face first into his pillow with a huff.

"What about your _dashing_ good looks repulsed her?" I asked, humoring him. It was the hangover talking, and maybe if he worked it out of his system he would be less intolerable.

He hesitated before he answered; mouth twisting as he replied with what was obviously a lie.

"She said she wasn't into blondes."

I leaned against the doorframe, trying with all my might to keep from laughing at the evident falsery, instead choosing to make another joke. "That's the least of your worries. You can pull some Sheikah magic and just make your hair brown. Or maybe red. I hear the girls are into redheads."

"Come _on_, Nox, you're supposed to be making me feel better!"

"Hey, I offered a perfectly valid solution. You're the one who's not taking my advice."

He snorted, twisting onto his back and rolling his eyes. "I don't want a girl to fall in love with a hunky, charming, redhead when I'm really a no less hunky, charming, blonde."

"I'll give you the blonde part." I said, finally failing in my attempts to quench my laughter and going to sit on the empty bed frame across from him. "And you can add modest to the list."

He leaned his head to the side, offering me a flat glare. "I need less sarcasm and more advice."

"I can't give you advice if you choose to blatantly lie about what happened." I pointed out, kicking off my shoes and closing the door behind me.

"Fine," He ran a hand through his hair, closing his eyes tiredly. "We used to be friends, when we were young. Then everything got messed up, and I haven't talked to her since. And that's the end of it."

"And you're still torn up over her?"

"Oh, obviously. I feel like it's the day after the Harvest Festival." He moaned, dramatically clutching at his chest with one hand and resting the other over his forehead, palm facing the ceiling. "And I'm that broken, gnarly old jack-o-lantern whose guts and all that other nasty stuff are splattered all over the boulevard of broken hearts and wishful thinking."

"You're breaking my heart, Archer." I said as I climbed into my bunk, mindful that he was downplaying his feelings but smiling anyway, sparing him any more questions. "If I knew you were capable of this type of emotion before I would have started courting you a long time ago."

I felt the frame of the bed shake with his laughter, and I sighed with relief, a real grin forming on my face.

"Din, I messed things up so bad, didn't I?" he groaned, shifting over to the side of his bunk.

"You could always try talking to her again while you're sober."

He coughed embarrassedly, scratching his head. "I'll run myself through before I drink again."

I rolled my eyes. "If you drink like that again, I'll do it myself."

At this he started to laugh again, closing his eyes and nearly falling off the bed in the process. "You're my best friend, you know that?"

"And don't you forget it. One day I just might need a wingman as well."

"Please. If I can't get a girlfriend, you can't either."

I rolled over in bed, hoisting the blankets over my torso and blowing out the candle. "Thanks for the confidence boost, Archer."

"What are friends for?"

_**Now**_

Friends.

They are the essence of life. Sometimes they're better than you; more interesting, more fun, more powerful. Sometimes they're worse. Either way, a true friendship is when both people are accepted for who they are. They take your assets and highlight them; they take your faults and realize that you wouldn't be who you are without them. A friend is one who knows your burdens and helps you carry them, takes some of the weight to their shoulders and making the journey easier.

However, you never know when they will be taken from you. Especially in this life, I learned the value of companionship.

Navi, who stood by me through thick and thin, stayed with me no matter the circumstances, followed me through Hell and back and still managed to keep a smile on my face. She saved my life more times than I can count. But now she's gone.

Malon, who was kind enough to give me a bed and a listening ear, who trusted me enough to teach me her mother's song, who laughed at all my terrible jokes and told me a few in return to keep my morale high, who sang me to sleep when my wounds festered and bled. She was irreplaceable in my heart, so unique and so beautiful. But now she's gone.

Epona, my faithful horse. She waited seven years for me to tame her, to aid me in my quest. No matter where in Hyrule I stood all I would have to do was play her song, and she would come running. Her gentle, quiet faith that I could sense when I rode her, her alabaster mane flowing in the wind, the sound of her hooves in the dirt…I loved her more than anything. But now she's gone.

Saria, the girl who stayed by my side no matter what, who protected me from the bullies, who stood up for me when they accused me of killing the Great Deku Tree, who gave me my first ocarina and taught me my first song, who promised she would always be my friend. And true to her word, she was my only friend for a very long time, in an important part of my life, but she forgot like the rest. And now she's gone.

All my friends that the flow of time stole from me, erased them, blew them away like the sands in the desert wind. I took them for granted. I didn't understand how much I needed them before they were gone. Before it was too late.

I would do anything…would give anything if I could have them again, for things to go back to the way they were, even to just speak with them one last time; one last conversation so I could express how happy they made me, how much I loved them.

Or even simply the chance to say goodbye.

Treasure them, or someone else will.

I learned that the hard way.


	6. An Interlude 2

"_Have you ever thought about having children?" _

_We were sitting at the top of the windmill at Kakiriko, simply gazing at the perfect full moon and the glimmering of the stars. It had been two days since I had cleansed the Shadow Temple, two days since I finally escaped the horrors of the place of the damned, and I still hadn't recovered. There were some things that simply a red potion and her healing hands couldn't fix. _

_She had was tended to my wounds, addressing the deep gashes where the undead's blades bit into my flesh, the bruises and cuts where the dismembered hands clung, the broken bones from being crushed and suffocated in Bongo Bongo's grasp, but still, I couldn't quite shake off the feeling of being choked in a slimy, dead hand's hold or the whispers of the departed and the feeling of hopelessness and dread that hung thick in every corner. _

_The question was to distract me from these lingering horrors, and we both knew it. _

_She shifted so her head rested against my bandaged chest, crossing her arms and rubbing them with her hands to protect them from the evening chill. "Well?" she asked, turning slightly to look at me, her eyebrow raised with that look in her eyes; that challenging, condescending, or-are-you-too-scared? look that drove me insane and forced me to take her up on whatever it was she was asking. _

"_I don't know," I whispered. My voice was almost beyond recognition, even to my own ears. There was something empty, something dead in it that scared me sick. _

_Her face fell at my words, all arrogance suddenly out the window as she twisted to face me, wrapping her arms around my neck. "Link," she murmured, resting her head against my shoulder. "It'll be okay. You're safe now. I promise."_

I shivered at her words. She was lying to me; the voices in the walls of the Shadow Temple that still lurked in the back of my mind told me so. I wasn't safe. I was never safe. No one was ever safe. There were Moblins roaming the fields and monsters in the towns and in the wells and the Lost Woods and the volcano was erupting and Zora's Domain was frozen over and Castle Town was a place straight out of Hell and the Great Deku Tree was dead. Nothing would ever be okay again. 

"_I'm so cold, Zelda." I croaked, almost wincing at how pathetic I sounded. _

"_I'm sorry." Her voice was equally as miserable. "I don't know what to do. You have a temperature, not a chill."  
_

You will lose._ The voices whispered, taunting me and cackling, their words echoing throughout my mind. _

We will take her from you.

_I shuddered again, closing my eyes and drawing her closer. The shadows couldn't have her. I wouldn't let them. _

"_You know," Zelda murmured, her lips so close to my ear I could feel her breath through her shawl. "I can picture us with kids."_

"Can you?" 

"_Mmhm." She confirmed, nodding her head. "A little girl and a little boy. The boy would be born first, and we would probably name him after my father—"_

_I snorted then, interrupting her. "I'm sorry, love." I said quietly, coughing once from the effort. "But there's no way any son of mine will be named Daphnes. It would be considered abuse."_

She pulled away to frown at me, looking briefly harassed, but continued anyway. "—and he would end up looking just like you. The whole messy-haired, blue eyed, crooked smile that all the girls in the castle will fall head over heels for, except we'd make him so humble and kind that he'd help them all back up. He would be daring and adventurous and always getting into some sort of trouble, and you would encourage him all the time and I would secretly hate you for it. He would also be hopelessly stubborn, and sometimes stupid when it came to helping people. I would teach him to be a fair and wise leader despite that, though, and you would teach him how to use a sword and to ride a horse and he would be the best warrior in the kingdom, except for his father, of course." She tapped my nose affectionately, a warm smile coming over her face. "And we would both be so proud of him because he would grow up and find himself a beautiful girl to love and become king and the Hyrule would thrive under his fifty year reign of peace."

_A small smile tugged at the edges of my lips. "What about the girl?"_

"_She would be beautiful." She sighed, resting her head on my shoulder again. "She would have gorgeous long hair that would be exactly your color and I would love to brush it every night. She would have big blue eyes in my color and she would give you a certain look whenever she did something wrong that would make you just _melt_. We would cuddle up with her every night, and I would make the ceiling glow with my magic and you would tell her stories. She would love to read and she would be amazing at chess. One day I would teach her how to sew but she would be no good at it and end up ruining a tapestry I worked on for weeks. She would be quiet and gentle and everyone in the castle would just love her to bits because she would always know the right thing to say. She would love horses, too, but when you wouldn't teach her to ride because you were afraid she would get hurt she went out anyway to teach herself and come home with a broken arm. One day she would meet that special someone and bring him home and I would love him and you would hate him but in the end accept him because she loves him. And they would live happily ever after together, just like her brother."_

_I closed my eyes, trying to imagine the picture she had so beautifully painted for me. A happy, peaceful Hyrule. A happy, peaceful us. With two children, King and Queen, side by side, until the end of our days. Even the possibility was a cause worth dying for. _

_I gently lifted her head from my chest, using my hands to cup her face, forcing her to look me in the eyes. "One day I will marry you," I promised, abruptly deciding to throw all caution to the wind. "One day Hyrule will be beautiful again, and one day I'll be able to scream to the whole world that you're all mine, and that I lov—"_

_Suddenly her hand flew to my mouth, remorse in her eyes as she stopped the most daring of my words. "Please don't." she whispered._

_My entire body suddenly went cold. This was all just speculation. She didn't care for me like I did for her. All this was for her was just idle chatter, something to pass the time for my wounds to heal so I could go and save her kingdom and get out of her hair. All of this, for-_

_"Let me explain!" She pleaded, tears appearing at the corners of her eyes. The pain in my chest must have been evident on my face. "It's not that I don't care, Link…it's just…Impa always said because my parents died when I was so young, I've always had so much love to give. But…I'm so afraid to love. In this world that we live in, it could all be taken from me in a blink of an eye. I lost both my parents, Link. I can't lose anyone else. I can't lose _you_." Her breath hitched, and I could feel her tears seeping through my tunic. "You know how I feel. But I can't say it. Not yet. Not until I know…I'll be able to keep you."_

_At this she began to lose her composure. She pushed her face into the crook of my neck, muffling her tears as se proceeded to cry her heart out, all her reservations suddenly on the table._

_As I stroked her hair I was almost bursting at the seams with joy. It wasn't that she didn't love me. It wasn't that I came from a family with no name or no money and she was embarrassed. It wasn't that she cared what anyone else thought. None of that. She was just afraid for me, afraid one day she'd be waiting outside a temple and I wouldn't come out. Afraid that one day I'd finally meet my match._

"_I'm going to save Hyrule." I swore, any weakness suddenly overcome by the fierce determination evident in my tone. "I'm going to make it a place where our children can grow up and we can be together and grow old at each other's side. We're going to be so happy, Zelda, and everyone is going to be so happy for us. Whether or not you say it now won't make a difference."_

_I paused then, a small laugh escaping me for the first time in what seemed a lifetime._

"And you know what?"

_She lifted her head to look at me, an inquisitive look present in her eyes despite the sobs that still violently shook her form. I pulled her close again, wrapping both my arms around her and securing her to me, resting my head in her hair and breathing in the scent of her, in that moment for the first time inseparable._

"The best things are worth waiting for."


	7. Five

**Happy Birthday to me, happy birthday to me~ I turned fourteen on the eighteenth. The big one-four and all that jazz. –throws confetti- wooo… **

**(Sorry for the long wait. Something about this chapter just refused to work with me and there were some kinks in the storyline I had to work out. Once a week schedule **_**should**_** resume after this)**

**~Alyssa**

_**Heu damna emergere ex incidere in peius.**_

_** ….**_

_**Alas, I emerge from one undoing to fall into a worse.**_

_**Now**_

For five years I lived remarkably happy with my family.

Life was simple, but I preferred it that way. There were no people to save, no kingdoms to rescue, no danger around each corner, living day by day. Just the wonderful simplicity of being a small town boy; going to the marketplace to swipe our dinner, playing ball in the postage-stamp yard with Archer, teaching Linden how to read and write. There was something comforting in knowing what to expect, day after simple and happy day.

The wounds of my past slowly scabbed over, fading away to scars that I barely noticed anymore.

Yes, sometimes they still ached, like when Archer came home with yet another girl on his arm (I believe at this age it was Fallon) and asked me why I hadn't even tried to find one myself, or when the owners of Lon Lon Ranch came to town and the redheaded farmgirl hadn't even spared me a glance. But these instances were few and far between.

For seven years I had found respite, and for some reason it didn't occur to me that it would be taken away from me. Of course it couldn't be that easy. Of course I couldn't be happy for this long.

Over the course of a day my life went from a peaceful paradise to a living Hell.

I can remember like it was yesterday.

**ox(O)xo**

_**Then**_

"_Ow!_"

I pulled the brush through her tangled brown locks again, trying to be gentle as it snarled around the bristles, effectively trapping it on her head.

"Well," I said, giving it a sharp yank. "Maybe if you hadn't decided to roll around in the mud even though Zenith told you not to, it wouldn't have gotten all dried up and hard like this and your hair wouldn't be a nightmare."

Linden crossed her arms, her lower lip pushing out as she glared at me adorably. "I was pretending to be a pig."

I closed my eyes, trying to quench my laughter as to not condone the ridiculously adorable behavior. "Why?"

"_Because_," And though her face was away from me, I could just _see _the rolling of her eyes, her tone superior as if this was an obvious fact and I was too slow for not understanding. "I wanted to play princess but Archer said he wouldn't pretend to be the knight in shining armor and there can't be a princess without a hero to save her and get married to and live happily ever after."

I paused in my brushing, paralyzed with shock at her words.

There can't be a princess without a hero, she said.

But there can. Outside of fairytales princesses don't marry their knights in shining armor like they promised. They send them back in time without so much as an explanatory word, spitting on all their hard work and pain, wrenching life as they know it away. In the real world there are no happily ever afters for the heroes. Just pain and suffering and devastation and heartbreak. "Silly Linden," I wanted to say, patting her head just like when she would make a particularly ridiculous statement so far from the truth it was comical. "But everyone knows that's only in stories."

"One day I'm going to be beautiful, just like Princess Zelda," she chirped, swinging her legs back and forth. "And a prince is going to come and take me to his castle, and you and Archer and Baxter and Zenith and Garrett can all come, and I'll be in charge and I'll never have to eat my peas even though Baxter says they're good for me."

I bit down on my lip at the mention of Zelda, the pain preventing me from thinking about doing something stupid like crying. I forced myself to keep my amused smile on my face, pulling the brush through another strand of hair as she continued to jabber, my small episode unnoticed.

"And the wedding is going to be so magical because there'll be flowers and I'll have a pretty white dress and everyone in the kingdom will be there and do you know what it's like to be in love, Nox?"

My jaw immediately clenched, my bottom lip crying out in protest as it was caught in between. Blood filled my mouth, and I almost gagged on it, choking on the surprise of an honest, innocent question asked by a curious child.

"Nox?" she asked, turning around, confused by the pause in the brush strokes.

I planted another smile on my face, smoothing a wayward strand of hair back in place. "Yes?" I asked, ignoring the disgusting taste of the blood as it welled in my mouth.

"Do you know what it's like to be in love?" She repeated, and there it was again, that _look, _with the big green puppy dog eyes and the batting of the eyelashes.

I didn't want to lie to her. But I had kept my other life a secret for ten years now. How could I give it all up to a little girl who couldn't even fully understand?

"I… I think it's bedtime." I said, setting down the brush on the dresser.

"Nox, I wanna know! Tell me! Pleeeeeeease…" Her jutted-out lower lip began to quiver, and it took all of my will not to spill it all right then. She was adorable, and she knew it. Adorable and manipulative and relentless.

I held out for a few more seconds, but the misery in her glistening eyes was the worst torment I've ever felt. Well, maybe the second worst.

"Fine," I snapped, letting out a big, dramatic sigh, but then paused. "…It's a bit hard to explain, Lin."

"Try," she insisted, climbing up to sit on my knee.

How to explain without scarring her? How to explain without spilling my past? How could I make such a complex, terrible thing make sense to a child?

My eyes fell upon the vase of flowers on the dresser, and I had an idea. I plucked a rose from the top, carefully placing it in front of her curious face.

"Love is like a rose." I began, reaching up to touch the satin-like petals. "It's beautiful. Feel." I instructed her, and she lifted her fingers to mimic my actions. "It's soft and it's sweet like the smell, and there's many different layers: family love, friends love, a lover's love. But sometimes people get so distracted that they don't see what's underneath."

Pushing her hand gently away, I lifted up the flower so the petals were out of sight, the stem only in her vision. "Thorns," I said, tapping my fingertip to a particularly sinister looking barb.

"Many people want to find love like they want to smell a rose," I lifted the blossom to her nose, letting her smell the sweet fragrance. "But when they're not careful, they end up getting pricked."

I pressed my finger down on the sharp prickle, hard enough that a small drop of blood bloomed around it.

She held up my bloodied finger, a strange look of awe on her face. "Did you get pricked, Nox?" she asked, her voice quiet and solemn.

So she _was _capable of understanding. Hopefully, then, she would learn from me and protect herself.

"Yes," I said, trying to keep the sadness and pain out of my voice. "And I haven't touched the roses since."

"And neither should you." I muttered. I lifted her off my lap and led her to the door, tossing the flower back onto the dresser. "It's better that way."

**ox(O)xo**

_BANG. _

I bolted upright from the bed, the force of the action sending my forehead slamming onto the beam of the bed above me.

"_Farore!_" I cried, clutching at my head. "What the _Hell_?"

A stream of profanities were muttered as the shock wore off, leaving me grumpy, in pain, and very much awake.

"Linden sleeps right across the hall, you know." Archer said, his voice heavy with sleep. "If she has a mouth it'll be your fault."

I closed my eyes, pressing against my temples and trying to fight off the growing throbbing in my head. "You didn't hear that?"

"All I heard was you swearing to high Heaven." He said, swinging over the side of his bed and glaring down at me disapprovingly. "And like I said, I-"

_BANG_.

He toppled from the bunk, hitting the unforgiving floor with a loud thump. "Argh!" He moaned, seizing his head in a similar fashion. "What the Hell?"

"Linden sleeps right across the hall, you know." I mimicked, trying and failing to keep the smug grin off my face. "If she has a mouth it'll be your fault."

"Shut up. What was that?"

Just then, the bedroom door opened just a sliver, and Baxter slipped his head inside. In the light of the one candle, his face flickered solemn. He stared at us intently, enough so that Archer became fidgety. When he spoke, he spoke in a hurried whisper.

"I suggest that you two get yourselves geared up, and quick. Grab whatever you think's important and clear out. Only take what you can carry."

"Baxter, what's goi-" Another loud crash sounded from outside, followed by several shrieks of people. He shook his head quickly.

"That, my boys, was the sound of disaster." And with that, he was gone.

Archer and I exchanged worried glances, but shook it off immediately. I had come to recognize that Baxter was the steady voice of reason. When nobody else knew what to do, you could always count on him and his level head to think of a solution. Even when simply pulling something out of thin air, he'd make it sound brilliant – or mad. Either way, nobody dared to refuse him.

With one quick sweep of his arm, Archer knocked the piled up belongings from on top of the chest, pulling it open and tossing me my things. He roughly shoved the chest out of the way, prying up one of the floorboards it had previously concealed.

I stepped out of my sleep clothes, securing the heavy chainmail around my chest before throwing the brown tunic over top of it, my heart starting to race with fear.

Disaster?

I laced my boots and gauntlets with stiff actions, watching as he slipped into his silvery grey Sheikah uniform. From the hole in the floor he took his weapons, sliding knives into the multiple hidden compartments that he had shown me once—the breastplate, the hips, the ankles, and the like. Once done, he threw me my sword. I slung the sheath over my back.

"What do you think's going on?" I asked as he climbed up to his bed, ripping the pictographs from the wall and stowing them in his uniform.

"Hell if I know. I haven't seen Baxter that serious in my life." he said, jumping down and going to the door, taking a brief glance around the room. "Is that everything?"

"Yeah. Go check on Linden, see if she's alright," I half shoved him out the door. "I'll catch up."

He raised an eyebrow, but the desperation in my voice must have convinced him not to question me.

As soon as he was gone I was on the ground, flat on my chest as I looked underneath my bed, blindly trying to catch my fingers on my objective—a box.

After a few moments of struggling I found it, wrenching it out from underneath the bed and righting myself, sitting cross-legged with it in my lap. I lifted the lid, methodically running my fingers over the contents, as I had a thousand times before.

The soft cotton cloth of my tattered hat. The rough, crudely-made string of my slingshot. The pearly smooth surface of Saria's ocarina.

I opened the pouch on my belt, stowing them gently inside. These somewhat trivial objects from my childhood were all I had left from my other life, a painful reminder of what I had lost. Whatever the pain, though, the idea of leaving them behind was unthinkable.

Standing up from the floor, I dusted my tunic off, bounding out the door and down the steps to catch up with Archer.

The Glaive was in a flurry of action, darting around the large room, packing up things into large sacks, a very frantic air about the three adults. Another thing about them I had learned a long time ago that was thoroughly disturbing now: they never panicked. Not when Baxter had nearly been apprehended by the authorities two years ago. Not when we thought we had lost Linden in the marketplace, when in reality she had wandered less than ten feet away to look at the ribbons from the fabric man's cart. What was different now?

Linden sat in the corner by the door, clothed in a dress with mail I had never seen before, clutching a bag to her chest. As I approached she looked up, and surprisingly for a girl just over a decade old, she wasn't crying.

"What's going on?" She asked, standing up and running to me, wrapping her arms around my waist.

"I don't know," I told her honestly. "I think we're going to have to leave here for a while, though."

"But I don't want to leave," she whined, her voice stubborn as only a child's could be.

"It'll be okay," I promised her, stroking her hair with a free hand. "It's important we listen to Baxter right now. He knows what to do."

As if on cue, Baxter stopped his packing, slinging a mostly full sack over his back with one hand and sheathing a monstrous sword with the other. "Kakiriko's being attacked by Ganondorf's forces. It's not safe here. Nox, take Linden. Archer, grab one of those bags. We've gotta clear out, _now_."

Ganondorf's forces. After everything I did, after everything I suffered through, it didn't matter. His people were here, in Kakiriko, making my life Hell all over again. No. This couldn't be. I told Zelda. I _told _her. How could she not take my word?

_She lost her memories._ whispered a voice in the back of my mind, always defending her. _And you did seem a bit off the edge…_

But whose mistake was that? Who sent me back in time? _She _was the only one at fault. If she had even given me a second's notice as to what she planned on doing, I could have told her the dangers, the uncertainties. She should have realized there were repercussions, but she didn't, and now I'm paying the price.

Shaking my head once, I did as I was told, picking up Linden and shifting her around to cling on my back, leaving my hands free. She rested her head on my shoulder, pressing her doll in between us.

"Hurry on, now!" Baxter rumbled, heading out the door. "Let's move!"

The rest of the Glaive paraded behind him until Linden and I were the only ones left. I looked back to her, plastering a reassuring smile on my face. "You ready?" I asked.

She nodded into the crook of my neck, unconsciously strengthening her grip.

I blew out the remaining candle on the well-worn table and hurried out the door, turning my back on my home.

Leaving it behind in the dark.

**ox(O)xo**

Grabbing his sister roughly by the arm, the boy tore out of the burning dining hall, tripping over the too-long hem of his new pajamas.

"Hadlea! Move!" he yelled, fighting the urge to break down into a ball on the ruined marble floor, screaming bloody murder at the things he had just seen.

The Moblins. So many of them. All at once.

They were just having a routine supper—well, admittedly, not so routine. His father had come home late _again_ from wherever it was he went all day, so late that him and his sister were already in bed, a fact that he cursed as he watched his sister stumble over her bare feet again as she dodged a falling piece of Din-knew-what from the ceiling.

He hadn't even apologized, a fact that had severely irritated him up until a few minutes ago.

Because it didn't matter anymore.

Because he was dead.

The Moblins had broken through the grand windows of the hall with their great spears and disgusting pig-creatures and torches, their attention immediately focused on his father.

He hadn't even had a chance to scream.

Bringing his vacant fist to his mouth and biting on it to prevent from crying out, he threw open the great doors of his manor home, urging her through before throwing them shut behind him, flying down the steps four at a time and off the grounds of his home.

His home, Kakiriko, was in a similar state. Fire was everywhere. Men, women, children were scrambled, screaming for loved ones and tripping over one another. Several men were trying to break down the front gates to escape, only succeeding in letting more of the terrible monsters in.

All those people. All _his _people. They were as good as dead, just like his father.

Gone. Dead. Murdered.

Hadlea took his hand, pulling him in the opposite direction of the carnage, sprinting down a back street with her silver silk nightgown flying out behind her, giving her the appearance of a fleeing spirit.

He followed close at her heels as she ducked down an alleyway, nearly knocking her over after she stopped very abruptly, her face immediately draining of what little color it had left from the run.

"Wolfos!" she gasped.


	8. Six

**Much needed character development in this chapter. Sorry for the wait again, there were several things I had to rework because of a small crisis I had with my outline being deleted by mistake. As a result, I have a lot to cover that I didn't think I would originally, hence why this chapter doesn't follow the normal format. Sorry about that. **

**In other news, (gosh, I say that a lot) last chapter was the all-time high regarding reviews, so thanks for that! I'm really sorry I haven't been replying; I really need to get on that. You will all get lengthy love letters when I can find the time. I promise!**

**~Alyssa**

_**Nunquam ante de illo intellego, ubi non sequitur abierunt.**_

…_**.**_

_**You will never learn the meaning of someone until they have gone where you cannot follow. **_

_**Then**_

Kakiriko was a place straight from Hell.

Townspeople ran frantically back and forth, shrieking for loved ones and clutching valuables in their arms, tripping over each other in their stampede to escape. Corpses littered the ground, Hylian and monster alike, their bodies mutilated by some sort of claws. And somewhere, as we could see over the tops of the caved-in roofs, a fire was blooming.

Baxter swore, pressing his palms to his eyes as though fighting off some sort of migraine as he came back into the alleyway, positioning his body as if he was trying to shield us from the horrific sight. "It's worse than I thought," he grumbled to himself, taking a long, deep breath before turning to us.

"Listen up," he said, as if he didn't already have our undivided attention. "Right now all we have do is get the Hell out of here in one piece. If something looks suspicious, attack first, ask questions later. A second of hesitation could be the difference between life or death. Don't stop for anything. If we somehow get separated, you know where the rendezvous is."

He paused, going to stand beside Zenith, a slightly appalled look on his face. "And this isn't exactly how we planned on telling you, but we've all got someone else to look after now." He snaked an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close for a short moment.

My eyebrows shot up and Archer began to snicker, even Garrett having a hard time trying to mask his surprise. Zenith's face scrunched up in annoyance, shooting a flat glare at her husband.

"Was now honestly a good time?" she sighed, crossing her arms self consciously over her stomach. "It could have waited until after."

He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, reaching to place his hand over hers. "Just giving them some incentive. The more hands we got to protect little guy, the better."

She smirked, elbowing him playfully in the chest as she unsheathed her sword. "What makes you so sure it's a boy?"

Baxter grinned, pulling his blade from its casing as well. "Only a son of mine would cause such an inconvenience before he was even born."

"Wait just one second," said Archer, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm happy for you guys, really, but explain to me how the Hell we're supposed to get out of here?"

For a moment we were silent, until I turned my head to the side, smiling playfully at Linden. "Tell me, who do you think curses the most?" I asked her in my most innocent voice, shooting a pointed glace in Archer's direction.

She snickered and pointed at him, causing him to roll his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, waving a hand dismissively. "Seriously, though. I don't know where the monsters are coming from, but the gates have got to be flooded with people trying to escape into Hyrule Field. That leaves two options; we stay put until things die down a little and the raid runs its course, or we leave the only other possible way, up the mountains."

His crimson eyes hardened as the last words left his lips, his gaze falling upon Death Mountain in the distance.

Death Mountain. The same place he traveled over a decade ago. The same place his parents were murdered.

He took a glance at all our faces, his eyes narrowing. "I'm fine!" he insisted pitifully, but no one's expression changed. "_Really_," he growled more forcefully. "It's the only way we can go. Don't worry about me."

Baxter sighed, slumping against the alleyway wall. "It's the only way." He confirmed, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers. "But I don't like it."

"I'm over it." Archer said adamantly, forcing a smile. However no matter how hard he tried, the people who knew him best could see right through the façade. His actions proved so.

The way he wouldn't step foot past the gate at the foot of the mountain, some absurd excuse always coming up that conveniently placed him anywhere but there.

They way he cried the night one of his frequently changing girlfriends (Calliope, or something to that effect) broke up with him, claiming he had "no suitable parentage."

The way, after particularly rough days, you could catch him sitting cross-legged on his bunk, quietly talking to the permanent black and white smiles and glossy eyes pinned on the wall.

The way even the mention of the unmentionable mountain brought a layer of impenetrable steel to his eyes and emptiness to his tone.

None of us knew what this trip would do to him, following the road that lead to his parents' death, reliving the memory of watching his mother bleed out right in front of him, leaving him orphaned and alone…

If only there was another way.

"We could always _try_ and get through the gate," I suggested quietly. As far-fetched as the option was, it was preferable to the alternative.

"That's absurd, Nox!" he snapped, glaring at me. "We can't be taking risks like that, not with Linden, not with Zenith in her condition!"

Zenith rolled her eyes, snorting at the excuse. "I'm pregnant, not eighty. I can handle myself." she scoffed, brandishing her sword in example.

Baxter's head snapped up as he heard her, placing a hand on her arm and lowering it. "Oh, no you can't." he said, forcing a laugh. "If I have anything to say about it you'll be sitting on your ass with nothing to do until I know you and the baby are safe."

"I knew you'd be like this," she grumbled, shooting him an annoyed look.

"I'm willing to take the risk," I supplied, and a chirping "Me, too!" came from behind me.

Baxter turned on me then, accusation in his voice as he demanded whether or not I cared for the well being of Zenith, who took the time to yell about him being an overprotective idiot, which prompted Garrett to start droning something about "arguments getting us nowhere" which none of us chose to listen to, until a furious voice rose over ours, shutting us all up instantaneously.

"_STOP_." Archer roared, placing a hand on both my and Baxter's chest, his eyes glinting dangerously. "You're all being ridiculous. You're fighting over a decision that's already been made. We're going over the mountains, and I swear to Din if anyone says another word about it I'll rip out their throat myself."

"Archer, I-" I tried, but he was in my face faster than I could utter the words, his burning eyes just centimeters from mine.

"Don't. Test. Me." He spat, enunciating each word slowly, his tone promising death.

"The mountains it is," said Baxter faux-cheerfully as he tore Archer away from me and slung him over his shoulder, shooting a smug grin in Zenith's direction.

**ox(O)xo**

"DON'T PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD, NOX."

I allowed myself a grin, finally severing the head of the Moblin that had thought it a good idea to try and attack Linden from behind, jumping lithely out of the way before its innards could land on my shoes.

"You okay?" I asked of her, kicking aside the corpse and going to rejoin the group, neatly impaling another one of the idiotic monsters who jumped in my way.

"I'm fine," she assured me, though her hold unconsciously tightened.

"You're very brave," I complimented her. "I'm shaking in my boots, Lin. Can't you feel it?"

She giggled, shaking her head.

In all honesty, I was having the time of my life. I'd forgotten how exhilarating the thrill of the battle was. Here, in the middle Hell with all the odds stacked against me, one man against hundreds, was where I belonged. This was my rapture, my ecstasy, what I was made for.

Or perhaps I was just an adrenaline addict.

Either way, I was having the most fun I'd had since Archer and I tricked Garrett to take the enchantment off the front entrance and watching Baxter walk face first into a brick wall.

"You're looking pleasant," Archer noted, nudging me with his elbow. "Something about decapitating Moblins get you going or something?"

Any trace of his earlier episode had completely vanished, letting his normal, easy-going self return. I wanted to tell him that repressing something as terrible as this was not exactly a good idea, but what could I say? 'Archer, stop pretending like you aren't afraid of the place where your parents were murdered. Yeah, we're all going to treat you extra special and act oddly around you because of it, and we have to go up there regardless, but hey, at least _admit _it to yourself!'

Because that would work out just peachy.

"You know it," I responded easily, putting on a convincing grin. "It's too bad we're almost out of here."

"Yeah," he said halfheartedly, looking up towards the looming summit, something I had yet to find a word to describe in his eyes.

We'd made it through town with little problems, ending the ones that stood in our way. Almost at the foot of the mountain, we had maybe five minutes to go before we were in the clear.

After that, the plan was set. We'd travel over the mountains to Noamas, and find a place to stay in Casperlight City for a month or so, then draw straws to see which of us would have to go back to Kakiriko to see what was left of our home. And then we'd plan from there.

"Anyone want to take care of those?" Baxter asked, pointing towards the alleyway to our left, where a small pack of wolfos were climbing over a pair of bloodied bodies.

"I'll go," I volunteered happily, starting down towards them, my sword already unsheathed. Linden jumped from my back as routine, going to stand beside Zenith.

"Me, too." Archer said, removing the dagger at his hip and poising himself to throw.

The wolfos were easy work, and afterward I caught myself staring at the corpses of the people they killed.

It was a pair of children, a boy and a girl, who couldn't be a day over twelve years old. Although tattered, their clothes were about as fancy as pajamas could get—the girl in a white silk nightgown trimmed with lace (although now spattered with gore, with three neat gashes oozing blood across her chest), the boy in forest green nightclothes, also silk (and also similarly stained with the crimson liquid dripping from his mangled face).

The more I observed them, the sicker I got. I was just about to turn away, back towards our family, when Archer spoke, his voice urgent.

"They're still breathing."

No. That was my reflex reaction. We had too many people to care for as it was, too many mouths to feed, and they were about as useless as it got.

But something about their defenselessness stirred something deep inside, something I hadn't felt since I'd saved Linden all those years ago.

"You take the boy, I'll take the girl," I said, hoisting her up and resting my arms under her knees and neck.

We walked from the alleyway side by side, right into the confused face of none other than Baxter.

"They're still alive. They're only children, Baxter. We couldn't just leave them to die," I explained quickly, desperate like I hadn't been in over a decade.

A peculiar expression crossed his face, a combination between astonishment and fierce pride.

"Alright," he said. "Let's go."

And that was all it took.

Nox, 3.  
Death, 0.

**ox(O)xo**

After a full day of traveling past Goron Village, where the mountains were lush and green, was where Baxter decided to set up camp. We went quickly through the motions, a routine we'd established the many times we were on the run. Archer and I would get the firewood. Linden would set up where we would sleep. Garrett and Baxter would start making a watch schedule. Zenith would try to make something edible from whatever we were able to snag or collect.

Dinner was passed around as we all anxiously awaited the two children to awake from their comatose. Zenith and Garrett had done what they could; bandaging the large gash that went from temple to jaw on the boy's face and the deep claw marks on the girl's chest, using the little red potion we had sparingly to close the wounds.

"If he survives, he's going to have a nice scar." Garrett noted, as his hands wove over and under each other at a steady pace, invisible stitches sewing together the skin of his face. "I've only ever done this once, so it won't be pretty."

He'd done the same to the girl, ignoring Zenith's worrying about the depth of the wound.

"Something internal could have been hit. We won't know until she wakes up." She fretted.

"It won't do her any good if she bleeds to death," he snapped back.

About an hour after that, the girl's eyes finally opened, and Zenith's worst suspicions were confirmed: she was coughing up blood. Her lungs had been damaged, an injury far beyond Garrett's magic or Zenith's healing. She needed magic, a potion perhaps, but the closest healer had fled Kakiriko along with the rest of us. She would have to wait it out until we got to Casperlight, a good two week's journey over the mountains, and if not…well…

It wasn't something I wanted to think about.

Baxter and Zenith volunteered to stay up for the first watch, allowing the rest of us to turn in for the night—or at that point, I suppose morning.

Archer and I laid down on our 'beds', which comprised of a wadded up coat to serve as our pillow and a rough, dirty mantle to protect us from the ground. I accepted it gratefully. After a full day's traveling I was exhausted, and I'd definitely been in worse conditions.

Try falling asleep in the middle of an active volcano.

After a minute or two of restless stirring—the number of comfortable positions was less than nothing when you're lying on the ground in the cold—I decided to lay on my side, listening to the quiet sounds of nature to lull me to sleep.

The chirping of crickets, the croaking of frogs, the sound of a babbling brook…and Linden's voice, cheerfully talking to who could only be the girl we'd saved.

It only took a few moments for curiosity to get the best of me.

Rolling over so I was lying on my stomach, I covered my face with my arms, creating small crack so I could observe the pair, straining my ears so I could listen.

"…We live in this beautiful old house," the ashy blonde girl was saying, smiling gently as she cradled her doll. "In the summer, the gardens are so lovely, with all the flowers and the pond, and the deer. My brother and I always loved to play in them." She paused for a moment, her eyes sad. "It's…it's a shame I won't be able to see them again."

She was a smart girl. Smart enough to come to the only conclusion: Casperlight was simply too far away.

Linden, sweet, naive, innocent little Linden, on the other hand, was not. She was too young, too sheltered to comprehend the fact that not all booboos could be fixed with a bandage and a magic kiss.

"I'm sure you will," She said, her voice so confident it made me hurt for the girl. "Nox just said we have to go away for a while, but we'll go back soon."

She opened her mouth to reply, but began to violently cough again. Once done she spat out a mouthful of blood, a bit beginning to dribble from her nose.

I wonder what it feels like to know that you're dying.

"I used to get nosebleeds all the time," Linden smiled reassuringly. "You just have to pinch the top of your nose and hold your head up and wait. It'll go away, you just have to do the same thing."

"I hope so." For some reason, the girl humored her, smiling back as she struggled to wipe the blood from her mouth.

I wonder whether or not she's going to tell her brother.

For a moment they were quiet, Linden using the hem of her own gore-spattered dress to clean the crimson from the girl's hands.

"…Can you do something for me?" she asked suddenly.

Linden nodded.

"My brother needs somebody that will look out for him. He can't do it all by himself, and I won't…be able to, anymore." She said, her voice so hoarse it only came as a whisper. "Will you take care of him…for me?"

Tears streamed down her face as choked up more blood, clutching the porcelain doll like it was a lifeline.

"Of course I will," Linden said, taking one of the girl's pale hands in her own. "But you won't be sick for long, you know."

"Good," she sighed, the corners of her lips turning up contently. For a moment she just sat there, Linden watching her intently, until she sagged under her own weight, lying back down on the makeshift bed of blankets someone had made for her.

"I'm so tired," she whispered, taking another labored breath, closing her eyes.

"Then go to sleep," Linden suggested, brushing a strand of her ashy hair away from her face and covering her with a pelt. She smiled brightly as she tucked her doll under the covers with her. 'When you wake up we can play with our dolls together, okay?"

The girl's smile grew wider, a small laugh escaping her lips. "Thank you for your kindness, Linden." She muttered. Another round of coughing shook her, dark crimson spilling down her chin. Her eyes flew open, desperate for air as she seized her chest, doubling over as the blood spewed from her mouth and nose. Linden cried out, standing up and screaming for Zenith, running the short distance to the campfire where she sat.

Zenith stood, pulling the hysterical Linden close as she stroked her hair, muffling her cries as she watched the dying girl with tortured eyes. How could she explain to her what everyone else already knew? No matter what anybody did, we hadn't the supplies to save her. None of us were healers, and the extent of her wounds were too much for any of us. There was no hope for the girl. We would just be delaying the inevitable, drawing out her pain even more. It was better to let her go now.

But how could Zenith tell her that?

Ignorance is sometimes bliss.

"Why aren't you helping her?!" Linden shrieked, flailing against Zenith's grasp. "Zenith, _let go of me!_"

The girl finally stopped with her heaving, her grey eyes as wide as saucers as she slumped to the ground, her final breath leaving her in a painful sigh.

And then she was still.

I sat up, pressing three fingers gently to my forehead and both my shoulders in turn, muttering a soft prayer for her safe journey into the Sacred Realm. Archer—having just woken up but understood right away what had happened—mimicked my actions, his face darkening as his gaze went to his lap.

It didn't take a genius to know what was going through his head.

Another death on the mountain.

I went to stand beside Baxter, who was polishing the bloodied blade of his sword with unseeing eyes, muttering something about how only the innocent die so young.

"What are we going to do?" I murmured, watching Linden beat her fists on Zenith's chest, still struggling to break free of her hold.

It was Garrett that answered, his voice indifferent as if we were discussing the weather, flipping another page of the book he always seemed to have around.

"I suppose we'll have to wait for the boy to wake up." he said, muttering a spell to get the fire going again. "And then we bury her."

And so we waited, busying ourselves with collecting more firewood and sorting through our supplies, trying to figure out exactly how long it would last us if we rationed carefully, so on and so forth, until we could do nothing but idle.

After what seemed like an age, the boy finally began to stir, clutching the part of his face that was bandaged with a small moan.

After a moment, he managed to pull together the strength to sit up, his dark eyes alight with arrogance, confusion, and a bit of fear. Looking around quickly, his eyes narrowed, suspicion filling his face as he took in our various expressions of grief and apology.

"Where's my sister?" he demanded.


	9. An Interlude 3

_"Link!" she cried out with relief, rushing to the platform where a layer of blue light blinded me, setting me gently down. "As the water is rising, the evil is vanishing from the lake…You did it!" She looks me over once, her voice becoming anxious. "How are you? Are you hurt? "_

_"I am wet." I said flatly, vainly trying to wring out my sopping hat. "I am cold. And I am tired." I took a deep breath, my frustration building in my voice. "That temple…" I growled, pointing a shaking finger towards the entrance. "That temple…If I ever have to do anything as impossible as that again..."_

_Buried beneath the cowl of her Sheikah uniform, her expression changed, a raised eyebrow my only tool to read what I could only name as skepticism. "You…you went through the entire temple without any injuries? Completely, one hundred percent fine?"_

_"I am not fine." I moaned, burying my face in my hands, taking another breath to try to steady myself. "If I ever find anything as goddess-damned frustrating as that goddess-damned temple, I swear to Din I'll kill myself because you know what? Life just isn't worth living anymore."_

_She visibly relaxed, closing in on the short space between us, pulling down her cowl and wrapping her arms around my sodden form. "Aw…" she cooed, tugging playfully on the tip of my hat. "Was the great, big, scary Hero deterred by some widdle puzzles?"_

_"Shut up!" I snapped. "You don't even know the half of it."_

_She smiled, pressing a delicate kiss to my neck. "You can spend the time we usually take preventing you from dying telling me about it."_

_I rolled my eyes, gently prying her arms from me and beginning to unbuckle my belt, in turn shedding all the heavy pieces of armor; the sword, my shield, my gauntlets._

_"Well," I began, peeling the soaked blue tunic from my chest, flinging the magical dead weight out of sight. "Not mentioning the ten times I almost drowned the first hour or so considering breathing underwater isn't exactly easy, it was just a giant room with a whole bunch of different levels that the hookshot couldn't reach, so I spent half my time backtracking to find these magic symbols on the wall that when I played the ocarina in front of they changed the water levels so I could swim to wherever I needed to go. However, if that wasn't difficult enough, none of my stuff worked in the water, so I couldn't kill all the monsters like I normally do, leading to these,"_

_I paused, pulling up the sleeve of my damp white shirt, showing the fresh scratches and bites among the general hodgepodge of healed and in the process of healing wounds, the freshest of those being the burns that the Fire Temple had given me._

_"I mean you think after the Fire Temple with all that damn fire I would be happy for some water, something that wouldn't, you know, burn me alive, but honestly, if I never saw water again I'd be perfectly fine."_

_Stopping in my rant for a moment, I pulled my familiar forest green tunic from my pouch, reveling in the soft, dry fabric, throwing it over my head and sitting in the soft grass._

_"And then…and then…about halfway through, I came into this really big, empty room. Just white in every direction, with a small layer of water on the floor. It was so foggy you couldn't see a couple feet ahead of you. It was huge, and it looked pretty empty to me. So I sat down by the door and I was going to take a nap, until I heard it…"_

_Sitting in the warm sunlight on the shores of Lake Hylia, I could still hear it; the empty, broken whisper of a voice scarily similar to mine._

_Heros de Tempus…_

_Vitae ut scire erit dissecuerit a supremum!_

_Cicatrices praeterita voluntas onus aeternum!_

_Tu summum bonum et…_

_HERO OF TIME._

_YOU WILL DI-_

_"Link?"_

_Her gentle, curious voice shattered the dark one's, getting my thought process back on track._

_"I heard me." I whispered. "And then I saw him. He was…me, but he wasn't. He was a shadow, all black, with red eyes, but besides that, he looked exactly like me. Every move I threw at him, he mimicked it, right down to the facial expression." Her expression turned horrified, and considering it wasn't a threat—I had killed the thing, after all—I decided to downplay it. "But I beat him in the end. Maybe it was the Goddesses trying to tell me how useless I was. I'm fine."_

_But I really wasn't. Something about that thing's aura scared me to the bone. I could feel his anger, his malice. And for some reason…a need for revenge. As much as I pondered his words, I didn't understand them, but something about them...I was afraid. Afraid like I'd never been before._

_She laughed, going to fetch my discarded clothing, hanging it over the bough of the dead tree on the island we rested on. "You were in there for almost a week," she said over her shoulder. "I was starting to get worried. My imagination was getting the best of me."_

_"I sincerely apologize, my lady," I said in my most formal voice, deeply bowing before sitting against the trunk of the tree, her taking a place beside me, taking my hand in hers._

_"I do wish you would stop referring to me as "my lady" or "Princess."" She complained, settling in the spot on my shoulder that suited her perfectly, like she was made to fit there._

_"It's disrespectful. You're a princess, and last time I checked I wasn't some Lord in your court. I'm a scruffy, ill mannered, foul tempered common boy with no family, no money, no anything to my name." I reminded her, leaning down to peck her once on the lips despite my words. "Something tells me you don't get this buddy-buddy with all your subjects."_

_She rolled her eyes, blowing a stray strand of her bangs away with a huff of her breath. "We both know you're more than just another subject. Once this is all over, you'll have dukedom, you'll be knighted, anything you desire, you name it, and it will be yours. What you're doing for Hyrule…I'll never be able to thank you enough, Link."_

_I grinned, squeezing her hand gently. "So I'm not just some scruffy common boy?"_

_"No," she frowned, her voice filling with an unusual passion. "Never. You're Link. You're my Hero. You're…everything."_

_"Well, in that case, I'll have to take you up on your offer. There is something I want." I smiled mischievously, my heart thudding unevenly in my chest._

_"Oh?"_

_"You may give me land and riches and a title and all those other trivial things," I murmured, bringing our intertwined hands to my lips and pressing a gentle kiss to the back of hers. "But the affections of my Princess are the only thing I desire."_

_A small half-smile lit up her face. "I was under the impression you already knew they were yours," she whispered, turning her face to look at me. "And please, stop with the titles. I am Zelda, and you are Link. That's all there is."_

_Much to her frustration, I shook my head, admittedly taking pleasure at the aggravated look on her face._

_"Fine then," she said haughtily, scrunching her nose in annoyance. "I don't suppose you'll be able to kiss me then, or would that be considered too inappropriate, even despite my wishes? I've been waiting out here for a week, you know, with no one to talk to but that twisted old owl."_

_I snorted with laughter, shaking my head and pulling her face to mine once again._

_"Anything for my Princess."_

**A/N: There's a major spoiler for the end of the story in the language none of you can understand. Someone PMd me saying my Latin sucked the other day, to which I replied, pfft, it's not Latin. It's got a bit of Latin mixed in, but besides the first chapter's quote (which I got from the Aeneid, the inspiration for this story) they've all been in a language I made up, which I've been dubbing "Sheikahn" to the people that read my drafts. It's a way for me to get my…foreshadowing isn't really the word, so preparation for the end, maybe?...in without a few of you cheating and going on Google Translate or something.**

**~Alyssa**


	10. Seven

**Hello, everyone!**

**Thank you for all the reviews again. I replied to about half of them the other day, and I will get to the rest sometime this week, hopefully. I'm really sorry for the delay. **

**Short chapter, but eh, there wasn't really much more that I could do with it.**

**Hope you enjoy!**

**~Alyssa**

_**Fall septies, sto sursum octo.  
…**_

_**Fall seven times, stand up eight.**_

_**Then**_

We traveled over the mountains for days without getting a word out of the strange boy.

Baxter had told him what had happened as soon as he had woken up, solemnly explaining about the raid and his sister's fate. He crumbled then, retreating inside himself and not letting anyone in.

He did what he was told and accepted his food gratefully, but as time wore on, we were beginning to suspect he was going to become permanently mute. Having no clue to his name, we began referring to him as 'kid' or 'boy'—not to be confused with 'little man', Baxter's new nickname for his unborn child.

"You're going to have to tell us your name _some _time," Archer prodded at one point, nudging the boy in the shoulder. "We can't just keep referring to you as kid. It's gotta be annoying."

The boy huffed and rolled his eyes, an irritated expression on his face. "Fine," he snapped. "Tell me again what it was that gave me _this_?" He touched the ugly, jagged scar that ran from chin to hairline.

Archer's eyebrows rose, his face stunned. His unrelenting teasing and coaxing had been going on for the last few days, with no result until now.

"You're gaping like a fish," he said, his tone lightly accented, not unlike Baxter's. "Close your mouth, it's rather unbecoming."

"Wolfos," I supplied helpfully, smacking Archer in the shoulder. "A pack of wolfos."

The boy considered this, cocking his head slightly to the side, his long brown hair falling from his shoulders. "I suppose you can call me Wolfe, then."

And so Wolfe he became.

We fell into a routine; every evening we would make camp, and Archer and I would wander off, looking for wood that was dry enough to use for the fire and exploring the seemingly endless woods.

On one particular night, though, everything changed.

It started out perfectly normal, us leaving the camp and untangling the begging Linden from our legs, but neither of us struck a conversation like we normally did.

For a few minutes we searched in silence, pausing occasionally to pick up a log or branch. The serenity of the forest was slowly driving me insane. I blurted out the first thing on my mind.

"Have you ever been to Casperlight?"

I had tried to imagine the town since we'd decided on going there, but the only thing I could picture was Castle Town—the only big city I'd ever been in.

Casperlight City, however, was a fishing, merchant city. Known to be the biggest and richest on this side of the continent, even Castle Town paled in comparison. I knew that much, but nothing more.

"I've only ever been there once," he said, pushing aside a low hanging bow. "It's built on the shore of an ocean—it's like the Lake, except it goes on forever. My dad used to say that if you sailed past the horizon line, you'd fall right off the edge of the world."

"It was a load of bull, obviously—the city is known as the biggest commerce port in the world. They call it the city of lights because of the giant lighthouse in the center of the city, illuminating the town three hundred and sixty degrees. At night…Din, I can't even begin to describe it. It's just something you have to see for yourself. It's one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen."

He shot a grin at me, teasing in his voice. "Maybe you'll find a girlfriend there."

I was proud of myself when I didn't so much as wince.

"Yeah," I snorted, going ahead of him and using my foot to press down on the branch of a thornbush, sliding past. "And maybe you'll find one that lasts for more than two months."

"Hey, I'll have you know Penelope lasted for thr-"

Thoroughly disturbed at the abruptness in which he stopped talking, I began to turn around.

"Archer? Are you ok—"

The smile was wiped from my face, all humor gone as I took in his horrified expression. He wasn't paying attention me at all, his entire focus on a dilapidated old cart broken down several feet from the path, just visible in the muted light of evening.

"Din," he breathed, taking slow, deliberate steps towards the wagon. "Farore. That's not…it can't be…"

For a moment I didn't understand what signifigence this broken and bloodstained wagon was. Why was it of any relevance? Why did it throw Archer the way it was? Why—

And then it clicked.

Archer. The mountains. The wagon. _Archer_. His parents.

If my assumption was right, Archer was under the impression that we weren't five feet from where his entire life fell apart.

"I want you to go inside and tell me if there's a corpse." He said calmly, as casually as if he was making a remark on the color of my tunic. "And then I'm going to throw up."

"Are you sure that's—" I began to protest, but his expression was ferocious when he cut me off.

"Just do it."

I walked up to it, pulling aside the tattered and yellowed sheet that covered it and grimacing as a foul odor blasted me in the face. In the shade of the cover I could just make out the dusty objects inside with the dying rays of the sun.

Boxes and crates, knocked over and empty from several years of wanderers looking for a handout. A rusty steel longsword, covered in dried black blood. A stuffed bear, its abused head sagging slightly, a small tear in its chest spilling its fluff.

And there, in the very middle, lying almost perfectly undisturbed for a decade, was a small skeleton, the bones picked dry of flesh and muscle, a ghastly smile plastered on its face.

I shuddered, turning around and letting the curtain fall, taking deep breaths of the fresh, diluted air.

"Archer, I'm sorry,"

"Oh." He whimpered, his face crumbling. "Sh-she's dead. In there?" He clarified, his voice as weak as I'd ever heard it.

He began to hyperventilate; clutching his arms around his chest as if that alone could keep him from falling apart.

I wanted to lie to him. Dismiss his worries and carry along through the woods, back to the path and pretending like this had never happened.

But how could I do that? That was his mother's dead corpse in there. His mother's _murdered_ corpse. Even if I didn't know how badly he'd be affected, even if he would throw up like he said, it wasn't fair to make the choice of leaving her behind made for him. He should have the option to pay his respects, a luxury he'd never had.

"Yes," I said quietly, dropping my gaze to the ground. "She's in there."

He pushed me aside, pulling open the curtain to see for himself, his expression abruptly horror-stricken.

And then, true to his word, he was sick all over the ground.

**ox(O)xo**

A grumpy Baxter sat down by the fire with a huff, crossing his arms over his chest. We all looked to him expectantly, but he just shook his head.

"Couldn't get a word out of him."

Zenith frowned, looking up from her lap. "I always thought he'd gotten over this years ago."

Garrett nodded grimly, for once his nose out of a book. "It's nothing more than confirming what he already knew. But I'm sure he's had flighty ideas that she survived the ordeal, and now his world's come crashing down. The only thing to do now is leave him be. He needs time to sort his priorities."

Wolfe stood from the ground. "That's not the only thing," he disputed.

Walking the thirty meters or so where Archer was curled up, his back facing us, Wolfe sat by him.

"Hi," he said awkwardly, loud enough that I could still hear him.

When Archer didn't respond, or even acknowledge his presence in any way, he scratched his head awkwardly. "I'm sorry about your mother."

Still no response.

"My mother died when I was born, you know." He tried again. "But that doesn't count for very much, does it, since I never really knew her…there was nothing to miss. But…"

His eyes flickered to the woods around him, searching for the correct words.

"…you know, there were times when I was sad, too. Sometimes I would get these foolish ideas, that Father lied to me, that somewhere out there she was still alive…and thinking that way made me hope. But I shouldn't have. You shouldn't have either."

He shook his head sadly.

"It just makes it worse when the evidence is right in front of your face. All your hope is gone, because there's no way you can deny the real fact of the matter, that they're dead, and they'll never come back and no matter how much you beg and wish and cry and hope nothing will ever change that."

"I didn't get a chance to hope this time around." He took a choked breath, clasping his hands tightly together. "I saw…I saw her body. And part of me wishes I didn't, because I'll never be able to remember her the same way again. I won't see her playing in the snow or dancing at a ball or reading a book by the fire. All I can see when I picture her is her body…all covered in blood, smaller and more fragile than I've ever seen her, with her nightgown ripped and muddy, her eyes…empty…and…and…"

He took a deep, wavering breath to steady himself. "What I'm saying is, even though I'll carry that with me for the rest of my life, I won't hope. Because hope can destroy a man faster than anything."

"I learned that a while ago. I'm sorry you have to, too."

He stood, dusting himself off.

"But it will get better."

He turned to return to us, looking over his shoulder.

"Eventually," he added.

**ox(O)xo**

Wolfe pulled aside a wayward branch, lifting his candle out of the reach of the flammable foliage.

The underbrush gradually began to clear, and he found himself at a cliff, a very sharp one at that, with a beautiful view of the dense forests that dotted the lower mountainside.

He sat down with his feet dangling off the edge, tempting the idea of letting himself fall, down into the ravine, down to a place where nothing terrible happened and where the memories of his father dead and his village ravaged and the sight of those strange, _abhorable _people telling him that she was gone would be erased because he would be gone, too.

Whatever was beyond this life didn't matter. As long as they were together.

But no. He mustn't. She would never forgive him.

He looked up to the moon, setting his candle aside, trying to trace the features of her face out on its full surface. It was a game Hadlea used to play back at home. Some nights she'd talk to the moon like it was their lost mother. "Look!" she'd cry out, giggling madly as she pointed. "Can't you see the mouth? Mama's smiling at you!"

Just the thought brought tears stinging in his eyes.

"Hey, Lea." He said softly.

No answer. Just the sounds of the forest; the leaves rustling in the wind, the night crickets chirping in a symphony with the katydids and the croaking of the frogs.

"I miss you." he tried again, this time not waiting for an answer. "Every day I miss you. It's so hard…just _living_, you know?"

He winced. No, he realized, his heart beginning to throb again. She didn't know.

Because she was dead.

He took a deep breath before continuing. "These people that saved us…me…They're very kind to me. The young girl, especially. Her name is Linden. Like the tree. Isn't that odd?" He allowed himself a small smile, picturing the bright-eyed girl that was only two years his junior. She was honestly the only light in his life anymore. "You put her up to it, didn't you?'

There was a time when he would have resented this babying. How careful the group of people acted around them, the sympathy in their eyes and their voices. He didn't need them. And he didn't need his sister asking people to help him. He could fend for himself.

But now, he only smiled.

"Thank you." he whispered, standing up and grabbing his candle, starting back into the forest.

There was no response. He didn't expect one. But he swore he could see the mouth on the moon smiling back at him.

_**Now**_

Have you ever wondered, when you're gone, how people will remember you?

After you've left the world, left your legacy and loved ones behind, what would you want them to think when they thought of you?

Or maybe the other way around. If one of your loved ones left you, what would you remember about them?

For many nights, especially after those days on the mountains, I stayed up pondering those questions, for some reason thinking myself very fortunate. In this life, death had hardly touched me, where in my last we were shoulder to shoulder. I couldn't even fathom…what would I do if the people I loved died?

I thought about Zelda, the first person who was always on my mind. Even if she had left me, I was still content with the knowledge that somewhere, somewhen, she was happy, happy and safe, because of me. Hearing the news of her death would have destroyed me, completely and utterly. Even after her ultimate betrayal, back then every breath of air I took was for her, in hope that one day she would remember and be mine again. The knowledge that that future no longer existed would have killed me. My heart could have only survive so much.

I thought about Archer. How much I admired his courage, his silly habit for keeping his eyes a sinister color, his sarcastic sense of humor. What would I do without him? Who else would I pull pranks on Baxter with? Who else would stop me from my craziest schemes, and blindly follow those he couldn't talk me out of? Losing him would be like losing a limb; I would survive, but I would never be quite the same ever again.

I thought about Baxter. The only father I had ever known. The man who took me in simply because I was in need of a place to stay, taught me everything I knew, raised me to the person I am. Who else would have the patience to put up with me? Who else would I go to for advice? If he died, for a long time I would be devastated. It would be like any other person losing their father. The vulnerability, stumbling around for guidance that was no longer there.

I thought about Linden. Her imagination. Her optimism. How much I loved brushing her hair and telling her stories at night. How could I survive without her? Who else would I sing to sleep when I was in a particular happy mood? Who else would pull me out of my depressions when the memories became too much to overcome? If I lost her, I would be inconsolable. Her life was my responsibility. If she were to die, it would have meant I had failed her. Only one other thing could break me faster.

How ironic that, looking back, none of my reservations and flirting with the idea of the unthinkable didn't even matter.

In the end, they all left me anyway.


	11. Eight

**We passed 100 reviews on Tuesday, so as a present, early chapter! I want to thank everyone for giving me encouragement and praise, it keeps me going. Seriously, you have no idea how happy it makes me when people come back and review every chapter, some of you only an hour after I post it. It's kind of unreal to me. Thank you guys so much. **

**This chapter was inspired by the lovely covers of the St. Louis Ocarina Trio. There isn't much on YouTube, sadly, but if you have Spotify, definitely check them out! Throw them on while you're reading.**

**In other news, I've gotten more than private message and review asking about the ending. **

**To answer them all right now: you'll just have to stick around and find out. I'll let you know now there isn't a fairytale ending, where Link magically decides that he still loves Zelda and runs to the castle and then they kiss and ride off on Epona into the sunset. If you haven't already figured it out, this story isn't exactly happy. I've got something crazy planned, and most if not all of you will be knocked out of your seat. And about half of you are probably going to hate me. Take that however you will ;)**

**Hope you enjoy the next installment!  
**

**~Alyssa**

_**Proditione fieri nequit nisi amare.**_

** ….**

_**Betrayal can only happen if you love.**_

_**Then**_

"Casperlight is about a mile west. We ought to be getting there in the next hour."

Our company let out a collective sigh of relief, straining our necks to try and see the city over the trees and hills.

"Have you figured out what we're doing when we get there?" I asked.

Baxter grinned. "A good friend of mine lives on the edge of the city. Garrett contacted him last night, and he agreed to keep us for a while."

"Who?" asked Linden.

"He was my friend's older brother growing up," Baxter replied. "Got married really early. I remember making fun of him. He's got five kids now, all girls. We've got a lot of catching up to do."

We made good time, getting to the city gate in half an hour. As we walked through the lively streets, the strangely exuberant townsfolk danced around us, jamming a wreath of flowers on Linden and Zenith's head as they passed, gushing something about a wedding.

In fact, this wedding was all that was on anyone's lips. We were moving too fast for me to get anything cohesive, or why it was the talk of the town, but it would be impossible not to find out eventually.

After a several minutes of shoving through the overjoyed—and seemingly deaf—citizens, Baxter stopped in front of a giant manor house, starting up the way to the giant iron gate.

We all stared after him in shock.

I had never cared for material things. I was always content with what I had. And it wasn't like I had ever really wanted for anything. I had food, a roof over my head, and a family. That was all I ever needed.

But this house but Hyrule Castle to shame. And we were staying in it.

We followed Baxter up the walk, and watched as he lifted a hand to grab the solid gold knocker and rap three times on the door.

A few moments later, a girl with dark auburn hair answered the door. "Hello," she said, looking mildly shocked as she took us in. "Can I help you?"

She looked about my age, though she stood half a head shorter. She wore a dark green dress trimmed with lace that complimented the ruddy shade of her curly hair. Freckles dotted her face, but not in an unbecoming way. It was kind of…cute. Her soft brown eyes met mine. This must be one of Baxter's friend's daughters.

"You must be Kassia," said Baxter, smiling and gesturing towards us. "My name is Baxter, and this is my family. Your father is expecting us."

"Oh." She said stupidly, pinching her nose between her fingers and shaking her head. "_Oh_. I completely forgot. Of course. Come with me."

Looking down at my muddied boots, I was very wary at stepping into the beautiful house. Though we cleaned up best we could in the rivers and lakes that dotted the mountains, I hadn't exactly bathed in over two weeks.

However, neither did anyone else, and none of them gave it a second thought, so I trailed in behind them.

Kassia lead us up the grand double staircase and down a hallway, knocking gently on an opulent oak door trimmed with gold.

"Enter," said a pleasant voice from within, and she turned the knob of the door.

Sitting behind a huge mahogany desk covered with papers and inks and books, a large man with his dark hair pulled back in a short ponytail, his glasses slightly askew, sat, biting down on the tip of his quill while he read something.

"Father, our guests have arrived," Kassia said, smiling as the man's head shot up, his face looking briefly harassed.

"Baxter!" A wide smile stretched across his face as he stood, reaching out to shake Baxter's hand. "It's good to see you, friend. How have you been?"

"Well enough," Baxter replied. "Kakiriko was raided. Ganondorf's work. As far as I heard, there have been minimal survivors. We had to get out very fast, otherwise I would have never asked you for such a favor."

"Think nothing of it," he said, waving his hand. "Please, introduce me to your family!"

Baxter smiled. "You remember Garrett. This is my wife, Zenith. My daughter, Linden, and my sons, Archer, Nox, and Wolfe."

If either Kassia or her father found this odd, they said nothing.

"Charmed," he said, taking Zenith's hand and kissing it, and doing the same to Linden, who giggled. "My name is Colin. You are very welcome here."

"Thank you," said Baxter.

"We have some catching up to do, friend." said Colin. "Kassia, can you call Jane and show the others to their rooms?"

"Of course,"

We were lead down the opposite hallway by a servant, and given separate rooms. The one I was shown was bigger than the whole downstairs of our old home, complete with a four poster bed with violet silks, a balcony, and a separate chamber with a sink and bath.

I gratefully cleaned myself up, pulling on the soft robe that was slung over a chair. I was about to use the rest of the water to clean up my clothes when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," I said, expecting it to be Linden, gushing over the splendor of her own room.

It was Kassia that walked in, much to my shock. My face grew bright red at my indecent apperance, but she was unfazed.

"Hello," she said, her voice filled with laughter at my discomfort. "Father is letting you borrow some of his clothes. They're probably a bit too big, but these will have to do for now."

She handed me a bundle of jade colored clothing, grinning. "I thought the green would suit you."

I went behind the divider in the corner of the room—thinking to myself how convenient it was that it was placed there until I realized it was there for exactly that purpose—and changed.

"Thank you," I said. "You have no idea how nice it is to have clean clothes."

She laughed, the sound filling the room. "Of course." Her voice was deep for a girl's, but melodious. Pleasant. "My name is Kassia, but you already knew that. I didn't catch your name, though."

"Nox." I replied, holding out my hand. "It's a pleasure."

She gently took my hand and shook lightly, an inquisitive look coming over her face. "Nox. Odd name, hm?"

"A bit," I agreed, grinning.

We stood in silence for a moment, until something hit me.

"Hey," I said. "Do you know why everyone in town is celebrating? We spent half a month traveling over the mountains; I've been a bit unattached."

"Haven't you heard?" She asked cheerfully. "The Princess of Hyrule finally accepted our Prince's marriage proposal!"

**ox(O)xo**

Sitting on the cool stone railing of the balcony, my eyes fixated on the beam of light shining from the towering lighthouse, listening to the joyous sounds of celebration and fireworks.

Archer was right. The city _was_ beautiful at night. But it was wasted on me. I didn't care about anything.

Zelda was getting married.

_Zelda_.

_My _Zelda.

My heart wrenched painfully as I pictured it, biting down on my lip so hard I drew blood.

Zelda standing on a balcony with another man, his pinched lips curled into a smirk as his roving fingers wandered down her back, curling over her hip, and down further, the places where only my hands had the right to lay.

Zelda in the arms of another man, her lips touching his, his hands tangled in her hair and around her waist, her arms around his neck, a content smile on her face as he pecks her neck and collarbone, places where only my lips had the right to touch.

Zelda walking down the aisle to face another man, beaming as he lifts her veil, sliding a golden band onto her finger, whispering endearments that only her ears can hear to make her laugh, kissing her and relishing in the triumph of finally having her officially, a place only I had the right to fill.

Zelda lying in bed beside another man, his arms wrapped carelessly around her waist in sleep as she lifted her golden-haired child up onto her lap, letting his tiny hands pat her slightly rotund belly, laughing at the awestruck expression on his face, savoring the sweetness of the perfect family moment, something only I had the right to make with her.

But no matter my right, no matter the declarations of love or promises for the future, I had to face the harsh, broken reality that was the present.

The prince of Noamas would tug playfully at the stays of her dress, snorting with suppressed laughter at the shock on her face, appreciating the beautiful crimson of her blush as she excused herself from the table full of confused dignitaries.

The prince of Noamas would have the pleasure of kissing her at the several balls and banquets in celebration of the engagement, sneaking away to secret places behind tapestries and in concealed compartments, wanting something more than the chastise pecks that were considered proper.

The prince of Noamas would stand in front of the entire kingdom and watch her walk down the aisle in white, watch her flushing with joy as tears of happiness trailed down her cheeks, slipping a ring onto her finger and claiming her for his own.

The prince of Noamas would start a family with her, raising many children to inherit both his throne and hers, never having a dull moment, always having something new to teach, loving every second of growing old by her side, their kingdoms prospering under their reign.

The prince of Noamas. Not me.

I didn't even know the man's name, and I hated him more than I had ever hated anyone before.

I pulled Saria's ocarina from my pouch, fitting the cool wood to my lips. The Song of Time echoed in my ears, and my entire being ached for the song to take effect, begging it to take me far away from this world, to take me to a place where nothing terrible happened and Zelda was safe and happy and content in my arms.

But there wasn't even a shimmer in the air.

_Knock it off._ Whispered a voice in the back of my mind.

I ignored it, changing around the notes until they formed her lullaby, my heart aching in my chest.

_Stop. _It insisted, its tone strangely gentle and soothing. _You're hurting yourself._

But it was worth it, I thought back. I could almost feel her lips against mine, her eyelashes against my cheek, her fingers laced with mine. I could almost smell her hair, her skin, the scent of flowers and sunshine and vanilla that always present on her clothes I wished I could bottle and wear. I could almost hear her voice, laughing, singing, whispering my name as she slept.

Each memory was a separate stab to my heart. It wouldn't take long before it gave up entirely.

Impossible to remember, but impossible to forget. I was terrified that one day I would wake up and forget the exact shade of her violet blue eyes, the texture of her silky soft hair, the sound of her laugh, the graceful way that she walked, a huff of breath when she was annoyed, the glimmer of a smile.

Heartbreaking to remember.

But I would never let myself forget.

"Your playing is lovely."

I jumped, nearly dropping the precious instrument in the process. I turned from the balcony, and there she stood.

She had changed out of her dress into a tunic and pants, her long auburn hair tied into a plait, her hands on her hips and a small smile tainting her face.

"Kassia," I acknowledged, inclining my head respectfully.

I spent much of the day trying to distract myself. She took me through a tour of the house, noticing how I took an interest in the horses in the stable. We went riding for most of the afternoon, and she sat beside me for supper. She was a good conversationalist, and a fun person to be around. But as much as I enjoyed her company, I wanted to be alone.

"Are you okay?" she asked, climbing up on the railing and sitting beside me.

"I've been better." I replied, looking down at the ground two stories below my feet.

"Can I help you?"

"You can distract me."

"Well…alright," Her brow furrowed, searching her mind, until something came to her. "Were you born with the name Nox?"

"Yes," I said, giving my mechanical answer.

"Interesting," she said, following my gaze to the perpetually spinning light. "Nox is an old Sheikahn word, you know. It means darkness, but also sometimes night, depending on how it's translated. There's a demon called Nox in one of our mythology books that's said to take on the form of the thing you fear most that the great dragon Faron supposedly sealed away centuries ago."

Something about Kassia that I had picked up right away: she had a gift for knowledge. She knew almost everything one would need to know about anything, and enough information about useless things like what she had just told me to fill several novels. It was sort of endearing, in an odd way.

My eyebrows rose. "Is that so?" I asked in a politely disinterested voice.

"Mmhmm." She nodded.

"I've been told I can be grumpy," I admitted, a small smile creeping on my face despite myself. "You think I could be demon material?"

She grinned at me, a eyeing me up and down with a calculating look. "Well…maybe if you grew some horns, ripped up your clothes a bit, dropped your voice about three octaves—"

"Three!" I protested. "My voice is plenty deep!"

"Just like a baby Zora," She snorted. "As I was saying, once you get the look down, all you have to do is pillage a town or two, sacrifice a couple people on an alter, kill the crown prince and princess before they get a chance to get married and ruin the state of the kingdom, and you'll make a—hey, are you okay?"

"Fine," I dismissed her, biting the inside of my cheek to keep from screaming, or crying, or both. "I just…have a lot on my mind."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not entirely," A harsh laugh escaped my lips at the idea.

What could I say to her?

I saved Hyrule, but then the Princess of Hyrule, Zelda, my lover at the time, sent me back in time, and I am still deeply in love with her, but she doesn't remember who I am, and now she is getting married to another man, and up until you showed up I was planning his demise at the end of my blade?

Yes, that would work out fine. So would the following years locked up in an insane asylum.

"Keeping things bottled up isn't good, you know." She said in that matter-of-fact voice of hers, frowning slightly. I didn't like that; making her upset. "You can talk to me. I won't judge."

After a moment consideration, I realized she wouldn't let it go. If I denied her any longer, she would begin to realize that it was something huge and awful and life destroying—which it was, but she didn't need to know that—and I didn't want to deal with that.

"Father, I have sinned." I said dramatically, hoping that any of my pain showing would be written off as playacting. "There is a thing of great beauty that I have coveted for years, and it has fallen into the hands of another. I request your forgiveness. "

She leaned close, examining my face. "You don't look guilty." She noted.

"I'm not," I admitted, my voice becoming solemn. "I'll never feel sorry for chasing it. But sometimes…like right now…it doesn't seem worth it."

Her gaze went to her lap. "I think you're being too hard on yourself." She said.

"I know." I muttered, struggling for the correct words. "I just…I need to forget the world for a while."

"I…could help you forget." She whispered, leaning closer, her eyes flicking upward to meet mine. "…If you still want a distraction."

Brown met blue, and for the briefest instant I discovered how deadly a combination they could be. But in that moment, I didn't care.

Her lips gently pressed against mine.


	12. An Interlude 4

_"The burns are coming along nicely." _

_She replaced the warm cloth stuck to my chest with a cool, damp one, and I swore I could hear it sizzle when it came in contact with my angry flesh. _

_I let go of the breath I was holding, relaxing as the pain slowly ebbed away._

_"How long until I can get going again?"_

_She pursed her lips, her brow furrowing in thought. "I don't know, a few days maybe, if you don't do anything strenuous. I would say longer, but you'll be going to the Water Temple next. You'll bound to be swimming, and that will help."_

_"Thank you, Princess." I murmured, closing my eyes. After three days in what was literally a burning Hell, I was exhausted. It was impossible to sleep with the constant nagging of the burns, but now with the absence of that pain, unconsciousness was only a breath away._

_"Zelda," she reminded me gently, smoothing a sweat-plastered strand of my hair off my face. "If you keep insisting on referring to me as such, I'll have to start calling you 'Hero' instead of Link."_

_"Princess," I repeated just to spite her, chuckling—which turned out wasn't a good idea. A sharp ache ran through me as I was reminded of the charred skin that I had just disturbed. My eyes shot open as I moaned through my teeth, clutching my hands into fists._

_"I wish I could do something more," she sighed._

_"Well," I said, trying to keep the pain out of my voice. "You could distract me, maybe."_

_"Hmm…" She tapped a single, perfectly manicured finger to her chin her eyes closed in thought. "Oh, I know…" _

_She grimaced, hesitating before she began. "I was proposed to, while you were in the temple."_

_"Really, now?"_

_At most, the words that described Zelda and my relationship were 'good friends'. As much as I harbored more…intimate feelings, I hadn't yet expressed them. And the thought of her marrying another man made me angry. More than angry, **furious**. Although I had no right to her, although I had no clue her feelings to me and beside a thousand other things, Zelda was **mine**. He couldn't have her before I even had a chance._

_At my silence, she grinned, a laugh escaping her. "What?" she asked, teasing in her eyes. "Are you jeal—"_

_"Who his he?" I demanded, a little sharper than I intended._

_"His **highness** Lucien Alexander Roman the second, Duke of Gilesburg and Crown Prince to the throne of the most **sacred** and honorable kingdom of Noamas." She said in a dramatic voice, throwing her head back with her hand pressed to her forehead, pretending to swoon. _

_"Sounds like a stiff," I interjected, rolling my eyes. _

_A disgruntled look crossed her face. "I spoke to him shortly. Demanded why all of a sudden I was so devastatingly attractive to him. Once, when we were children, our fathers made us dance together and he stepped on my toes, called me ugly as mud, and poured ale on my head. " _

_"What did he say?" Yes, what **did **his highness have to say about the beautiful Princess who had so inconveniently captured my affections as well?_

_Her lips turned down at the edges. "He told me not to flatter myself."_

_I opened my mouth to say something, but she continued, suddenly looking angry._

_"He said that with Hyrule under siege and the Noamatian army conveniently battle ready, it would be an opportune time to unite the two kingdoms. That there was nothing personal about it. And not to take offence, but if he were looking for a beautiful bride that was capable of love I would not be the first woman he would go to."_

_White hot hatred coursed through me. How dare he propose to Zelda then spit on her pride? How dare he think he could waltz in and treat her like garbage because of the state of her kingdom? He didn't deserve her. _

_She took a pause to take a deep breath, closing her eyes. "And then I may or may not have called him a pretentious bastard and punched him in the jaw."_

_Something inside me smiled sadistically at the thought. "Good for you," I congratulated, not even bothering to conceal the loathing in my voice. _

_It was a gigantic relief to find that she didn't care for him in the slightest. But that meant nothing about her feelings towards me. It was a consuming thought, slowing eating away at my brain. Did she think about me the way I thought about her? Was she being driven mad with doubt as I was? _

_"You seem upset." She noted, her violet eyes narrowing. "Does it still hurt?"_

_"No." I said, too quickly. I rushed to amend it. "Well, only when I breathe."_

_She smiled at that, but the concerned look still didn't leave her eyes. "Then what is it?"_

_She would only settle for the truth. She deserved the truth. And I had to know._

_"Well…you see, Zelda…" I bit my lip, avoiding her gaze, trying to think of the correct words. "You know…over the course of the time that I have been acquainted with you…I may or may not have harbored some…affection for you."_

_Her lip quivered, a peculiar expression coming over her face._

_For a long moment she didn't say anything. No, it wasn't mere moments. It was days, weeks, **months**. But then, miraculously, she responded._

_"I may or may not have harbored some affection for you as well," she said._

_For a moment, tense energy coursed between us as we stared at each other, waiting to see what the other would do, both of us unsure about how to move on now that we had laid our feelings on the table._

_But then her chest began to shake, violent laughter abruptly forcing her to double over, the wild giggles as carefree as when we were children._

_And then I was laughing with her, ignoring the screams of protest from the destroyed skin of my chest. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered besides the fact she cared for me as I cared for her. Everything else could wait. _

_"I would kiss you right now," I told her, trying to get enough breath to form a cohesive sentence. "But I'm kind of broken at the moment, so I'd be very appreciative if you'd lean over for me."_

_She smiled gently, bending over until her face was just an inch away, the tip of her nose touching mine, still shaking with suppressed giggles._

_"I thought you would never ask."_

**_Alright, so while writing this seg_ment I had the idea of making these memory bits into a one-shot short story type thing. Because of the anti-chronological order and to refrain from being spoiler-free, I have to leave out a lot I wish I didn't have to, and I'm dying to include it. Obviously I would wait until _this _story is over, but I'm curious of your opinion of what you would think of sitting down and reading the entire thing in one go in the right order with 10x more feels.**

**If you're interested, let me know in the review section, or stick me on author alert, but I'll definitely let you know if I go through with it :)**

**~Alyssa**


	13. Nine

**Short chapter, but ahh. Something about it just didn't work. Writer's block sucks. Sorry, I wish I had something more to show for the long wait, but nope. Big drama next chapter though! And good news, it's already like, halfway done, so it should come out soon!**

**~Alyssa**

_**Crudelissimis mendacii sunt saepe dicebam in silentio.**_

_** ….**_

_**The cruelest of lies are often told in silence.**_

_**Now**_

I lived in luxury.

No longer did I have to walk the two miles or so to the market with Baxter before the sun had even risen to swipe bread and milk for our breakfast. I was given enough food for ten men, more often than not in bed, around ten o' clock or so or whenever I cared to wake up.

No longer did I spend my days playing with our deflated old ball with Archer in our muddy yard, or teaching Linden her letters, or doing errands for Zenith. Colin was more than happy to hire Linden a private tutor, who taught her worlds more than I could have, educating her in history and geography, commerce and math. Zenith had a fleet of servants at her disposal at the insistence of Colin's wife, Illiana.

As for me, well, there were horses there, and also the gardens and outlying woods that were dying to be explored, not to mention the private spring, the archery range, the sparring arena, and the giant library.

Not that it mattered. I didn't _want_ to make the time go faster. Each tick of the clock brought Zelda closer to leaving me more permanently than she already had forever. It was like the moon was about to plummet, the townsfolk slowing watching it fall and waiting for it to crush them and die.

And there was nothing I could do to stop it.

Not a damn thing.

Kassia especially had noticed my foul mood, and had taken to showing me around Casperlight.

When she took me to the beach and started wading in the water, I called out jokingly, "I thought you couldn't swim!"—something that Zelda had told me once when we were children. The air left my chest and fear struck my heart, but she turned around with a lighthearted expression, "I thought _you _said that! Or are you just too scared?" and said nothing else of it.

When she wanted my opinion on the gown she would be wearing for the wedding, she towed me along to the dress shop, and upon asking me I nearly suggested purple, about to mention that it would bring out the violet in her eyes. When a petrified look came over my face at my near slipup, she kissed me on the nose, laughing with the shopkeeper at how 'clueless men are'.

I couldn't keep leading her on. I had to break it off before things got too serious. No matter how much I cared for the girl, my heart belonged—and always would—to another. Kassia was not Zelda. No matter how many times I kissed her, no matter how many days we spent together, she would never be Zelda, and the wedding would not be canceled.

She deserved someone who would love her, not someone who was using her as a distraction.

Yes, I used her. I admit it. But at the time I was too selfish, too weak to be without her. I would work up the nerve to finally come out and tell her, but one look into those damned eyes and my entire speech would crumble, and she would drag me off somewhere else, and I would decide it could wait another few days.

So unwilling to lose my distraction and hurt her feelings was I that on the night before the wedding, when her lips parted from mine and she whispered, "I love you, Nox."

I replied, "I love you, too."

And I have never regretted anything more in my entire life.

**ox(O)xo**

_**Then**_

"Hey!"

I rolled over, muttering something under my breath, covering my ear with my pillow.

"Hey! Get up!"

Pressing down on the pillow more forcefully with my arm in my sleepy stupor, I groaned. "S'aright, Navi." I muttered, a yawn escaping me. "Hyrule can wait five more minutes."

An exasperated sigh. "Link. Get _up_."

_This _caught my attention. My eyes flew open as I shot up from bed, shock registering as I realized I was not in fact in the loft at Lon Lon Ranch, but in Noamas, in Amex Manor, to be specific.

"I—" I stuttered, frantically searching the darkness for the source of the voice. "My name's Nox."

"Okay, Nox." said the voice again, by the doorway. My head whipped to the left, and we met eyes. "If that's what you prefer,"

He stood nonchalantly against the door, picking at his nails with a casual expression. He wore all green, from his tunic down to his sock cap, which partially hid his disheveled blonde hair. His muscles were not large, but toned, which suited him just fine, considering his less then large stature would have looked foolish with anything bigger. A sword with a dark blue hilt peeked out from behind his right shoulder, glowing faintly in the darkness.

If I had been standing, it would have been like looking into a mirror. Or rather, taking a glimpse into my past life.

He smiled at the dumbfounded expression on my face.

_Goddesses_.

I threw off the covers, swinging my feet over the edge of the four-poster and treading over the cold wooden floor to where he stood, reaching out a tentative hand. Where I expected my fingers to go through as if he was a specter, they encountered warm flesh, a beating heart.

"You're real," I said out loud, closing my eyes tiredly, weaving my fingers though my hair. "Great. I'm insane."

He smirked. "Hello to you, too."

"Shut up." I snapped, beginning to pace. "_Farore_. I've gone off the deep end!"

"You're not crazy." He said, rolling his eyes.

"Am so!" I replied childishly, turning to face him. "You're me! I'm right here! You don't exist!"

"Do so!" He retorted, mimicking my tone, crossing his arms. "If I didn't, then why would I be here?"

"Hell if I know!" I threw my hands up in exasperation. "Maybe I've finally lost it! My life hasn't exactly been a walk in the park, you know!"

His eyes softened. "Yeah. I do know. That's why I'm here." He paused, taking in my expression, his lips twisting uncomfortably. "Look, I can't say much—that is, without messing a lot of things up. But my entire being here is going to be for squat if you don't take me seriously."

"Fine." I muttered, still thoroughly convinced that I should just turn myself in to the closest insane asylum.

The-man-who-looked-and-acted-exactly-like-me-but-w asn't-me sighed in relief, his eyes rolling up to the ceiling as he thanked one Goddess or another. "Listen." He said, his voice becoming urgent. "You're…you're going to do some things you're going to regret. But they can all be prevented. I—I can't tell you how. And I can't tell you when. But you have the power to fix things before they're too late. You can still give yourself a happy ending."

I rolled my eyes. "I ruined my chance for a happy ending a long time ago."

"Zelda is still in there." He said gently, standing from the wall and coming forward to touch me gently on the shoulder.

"I've seen her." I said bitterly, shaking my head. "She's gone. She doesn't even remember my name."

He bit his lip. "She's made a lot of bad choices, too." He sighed, looking defeated. "Ones that can't be corrected. But she loves you. Even now, she loves you."

"Bullshit she does!" I snapped, shaking his hand roughly off. "The first thing I did when I got sent back was to go and see her. She called her guards on me! That Zelda didn't even recognize my face, let alone lo—care for me!"

His eyebrows rose. "Is it that hard to say love, Nox?"

I shook my head, sitting back down on my bed. "I loved her," I admitted, putting my head in my hands. "I always loved her. But she always said she wanted to wait until I was 'safe' as she put it. I realize now, she was just biding her time. Waiting to get rid of me, hm? She never loved me. She only wanted me to save her damn kingdom."

"You _are _a fool." He growled in frustration. "Has it been so long that you can't remember clearly?"

"It's been ten years." I snapped, immediately turned off by his tone. "And I've suffered enough for one lifetime. I've had every reason to want to forget."

"She loves you!" he insisted angrily.

"She's getting _MARRIED_. SHE GOT RID OF ME." I roared, grabbing my fists full of hair, a sob shaking my form. "SHE PLAYED ME FOR A FOOL, AND I BOUGHT INTO IT. WHAT AM I?" A manic laugh escaped me. "A DAMN LOST ORPHAN FROM THE FOREST WITH A STUPID HAT. HOW COULD SHE EVER LOVE ME?! SHE WAITED FOR ME TO DO WHAT SHE WANTED AND THEN DISPOSED OF ME, BECAUSE I WASN'T WORTH IT TO HER."

I took a heaving breath, tears streaming down my face.

"She's gone." I whispered. The excruciating reality of my own statement stabbed me right in the heart. My voice suddenly was defeated, covering my face with my hands. "She never loved me."

"Then why do you continue to pursue her?"

"I _don't_ pursue her." I said raggedly. "I haven't seen her for ten years. Kassia—"

He rolled his eyes. "Don't feed me crap about Kassia. You and I both know that when you look at her, you see Zelda. And I have to applaud you for finding her. They're remarkably similar, or have you not noticed?"

There were no hiding things from the-man-who-looked-and-acted-exactly-like-me-but-w asn't-me.

"Fine." I said, taking a deep breath. "I still love Zelda. I'm a sorry excuse for a man. It's been almost a decade, and I still haven't moved on, and she's getting married. Tomorrow."

"And what are you going to do about it?" he prompted, looking hopeful.

"Absolutely nothing." I said. "I'm going to forget about her, and marry Kassia, and maybe I won't be miserable for the rest of my life."

His palm collided with his forehead. He opened his mouth to say something more, but his gaze flickered to the doors that lead to the balcony. He swore under his breath. "I've got to go. You have the chance to fix things, Nox. Zelda is still in there. You just have to get her to remember."

He came forward, clasping me on the shoulder. "Just…remember this." He paused, looking very uncomfortable. "Everybody makes mistakes, okay? Some are just…bigger than others."

"What do you—" I began, but the weight on my shoulder vanished.

And he was gone.

And I was left alone.

Again.

**ox(O)xo**

A bright, golden light appeared in the center of the room, and the woman sitting patiently on the window seat snapped up, suddenly attentive as a man clothed in green appeared, his face less than pleased.

"I presume things did not go as planned?"

Ripping the sock cap off his head, he stormed to the bed that occupied most of the large space, sitting down with a large huff.

"Was he always so goddess-damned _stubborn_?" he cried, falling back until his head hit the pillows, biting his lip to hold back the tears of frustration.

It didn't work. His eyes burned as he recalled _his_ face, so hurt and broken as he fell apart at the mention of her name. He was different, so different since the time she had seen him last. He had replaced her, found a family and a lover and a _life_ without her.

He wouldn't even call himself Link anymore.

The woman at the window stood, sitting lightly at his feet, her eyebrows drawn with sympathy. "It was that resilience that gave him the strength to save this land. Surely, he would have failed without it."

"He _did_ fail." The young man reminded him, balling his hand into a fist and clutching the pillow. "He failed because I was too weak to get to him in time and now he's paying the price and I hate myself for it."

"You're being too hard on yourself." said the woman tenderly, sitting at the foot of the bed and taking to stroking his hair soothingly. "There was nothing you could have done, nothing any of us could have done. Why do you continue to torture yourself?"

"Because I tried to fix things and all I've done is broken them more!" he cried, hiding his face and sobbing into the pillow. "I let him slip between my fingers before I could even tell him that I—"

A banging outside the door cut him short. He gasped quietly, his cerulean eyes widening as their heads both shot to the source of the noise.

After a moment of agonizing silence, the woman spoke.

"Perhaps you should remove the glamour before we have any unwanted visitors." she suggested, looking warily to the door and back again. "This body doesn't suit you, I'm afraid to say."

He sniffled as he sat up, using the back of his hand to wipe his eyes. "You're right." He murmured, standing and lifting his arms over his head.

As they fell, a shimmering light enveloped him, the room shining with a blinding glare until suddenly it wasn't a young man clothed in green that stood in the center of the room, but a slight young woman in a silver nightgown, her eyes red and puffy from tears.

Though she had come to grips with the fact that he was gone several years ago, a realization struck her now. For once, there was nothing she could do to clean up her mess. There was no spell in the world that would fix his ruined mind, no incantation or charm that would make him forgive her for what she had done. She couldn't mutter a string of words and have this miraculously solved, couldn't snap her fingers and make things right in a blink of an eye.

For the first time in her life, she was completely helpless.

"I've ruined things beyond repair." She whispered, falling to her knees.

And the woman on the bed could say no words to comfort her, because she had.****

Leave a word or two, if you don't mind!

~A


	14. Ten

**So, part of this chapter is what started it all. That scene between Link and Zelda in the garden was one of the first ever wrote, and I've branched the entire story off of one scene. Turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself.**

**~Alyssa**

_**Et fractas cor sanguinat lacrimas.**_

** ….**

_**A broken heart bleeds tears.**_

_**Then**_

The caress of her hand on my cheek awoke me.

She grinned as my eyes flickered open, her auburn hair looking ridiculous all rolled up with cloth so it would hold a curl more "attractive" than the corkscrews that they normally were.

"Good morning, sunshine!" She sang, pecking me once on the cheek in an attempt to rouse me.

I grumbled something unintelligible, rolling over and trying to take my blanket with me, but, much to my dismay, she was sitting on it, and the only thing I succeeded in was getting twisted up.

"Get up, lazy!" she commanded cheerfully, jumping off the bed and pulling my covers off, the cold air causing me to cringe. "Big day today!"

"Good morning to you, too," I yawned, grudgingly sitting up and rubbing at my eye with a hand. I stumbled into the washroom, splashing some of the blissfully cool water from the washbasin on my face.

I took a look in the mirror.

My bangs were plastered to my forehead and neck with sweat, and the dark shadows underneath my eyes had grown exponentially, so much so that I was tired just looking at them. Part of me wondered what nightmare troubled me during the night. The other part reminded me what day it was. I cringed again, but this time it had nothing to do with the cold.

Zelda's wedding day.

Kassia followed me in, and must have noticed my conflicted expression.

She turned me around, slipping her arms around my neck and pressing a kiss to my lips. "Promise me you won't get too taken by all the seductive charms of the busty, voluptuous women?" she asked playfully, probably trying to pull me out of my mood. "Because men flock to them. And I've been told that you are way out of my leauge."

I put a hand on her back, pulling her closer. "I might as well be blind." I assured her, a small smile coming over my face, leaning in to kiss her again.

_You're only making it worse._

The chastising voice in the back of my mind caused me to jump, with good reason. Although I had reprimanded myself before, this voice was somehow clearer, more distinct, as if it was a completely different person whispering into my ear rather than a thought of my own. For a moment I stared over Kassia's shoulder, quite disturbed, until she laughed.

"Way to kill a mood." She said, leaning her head on my shoulder.

I smiled for her benefit, but I could tell it didn't quite reach my eyes. "You have to take those ridiculous curlers out of your hair anyway."

She removed her arms, sighing dramatically. "I _do _have to go get ready, don't I?"

"Well, only if you want to have a chance of being in my league. In the Nox leauge, curlers are frowned upon."

She turned on her heel, starting towards the door. "Fine then," she said snobbishly, waving an uncaring hand. "I'll bet Archer likes curlers."

"You did _not _just pull the I'll-just-go-date-your-brother card." I laughed, crossing my arms and leaning against the wall.

One eyebrow rose, a playful smirk coming over her face. "Maybe I did." She said, putting a hand on her hip. "I've always had a thing for brown eyes, anyway."

"Well, maybe I prefer blondes," I retorted, having in mind her older sister Hena—a girl five years my senior—but mentally wincing as a certain head of golden hair and violet eyes appeared in my head.

Her lips pursed. "Touché." She said, but did not relent, her pose not moving an inch.

We stared each other down for a moment, until finally I crossed the short distance between us and pressed a kiss on her forehead. "Fine." I surrendered. "The curlers are cute, I love them, and I wish I had a set like them so I could do my hair up like yours all the time."

"Alright. I forgive you." She snickered, probably picturing the ridiculous sight of my hair curled like I was. "But I really have to go get ready."

"I'll take you to your room. I have to get Archer and Wolfe awake anyway."

She linked her fingers with mine, and I led her into the hallway, running my free hand through my hair.

I knocked twice on Wolfe's door across from mine, knowing that he was a light sleeper and that alone would rouse him, bracing myself for the battle with Archer—also known as the heaviest, loudest sleeper I've ever met, not to mention the fact that there was no guarantee that he was even alone.

When we reached his door, I let go of her hand, reaching for the doorknob—only to find that it was locked. I grimaced, thinking of the implications.

"Archer!" I called, banging on the door with my fist. "Put on some clothes and open the door. Kassia's with me, and after the last three times I've walked in on you and Farore knows who I've gained the good sense not to open the door and find you doing—"

The door flung open, and a very unimpressed, very tired Archer stood in the threshold. "Just because you can't get some," he grinned, leaning against the doorframe casually. "Doesn't mean you have to act all disgusted at the fact that I'm doing things with—"

"Okay, okay." I interrupted, my palms flying up in surrender. "I honestly don't want to know."

"I do," interjected Kassia smoothly, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Considering it was Ashei you were doing them with."

A lazy smile came over Archer's face at the mention of her older sister. "What can I say?" he said, unfazed. "I have a thing for blondes."

Kassia and I turned to each other at the same time.

Our eyes met.

Her lip twitched.

And I laughed, really, truly laughed, for the first time since I could remember.

And then I remembered what day it was.

**ox(O)xo**

The chapel wasn't like the Temple of Time.

It's much bigger, for one, and was made of grey stone rather than white marble. And there were flowers everywhere. And pews. And rather than a Triforce, some ridiculous cross in the center of the magnificent stained glass window just above the alter.

I didn't like it.

I mean, I thought this was a church, not a school for math.

It's not even symmetrical. One of the lines is longer than the others.

Stupid Noamatians.

I tried to keep my mind focused on the cross as I walked up the aisle to my seat, only half listening to the gushing Linden at my side. Someone had done up her mahogany hair in an intricate style, with two small braids pulling her hair away from her temples and tying together in the back, a white daisy pinned at the joining point, with the rest falling down her back in loose curls. Someone had also applied rouge and kohl, as well as a light shadow around her eyes to match her pale yellow dress. Although she looked very pretty, I was rather put out that she was wearing makeup at all.

She was only ten years old, for Nayru's sake!

But Agitha, Kassia's younger sister—who was only a year older—was sporting a similar look, and Colin didn't seem bothered.

And Baxter or Archer didn't say anything.

Maybe I was just overthinking it.

We took our seats with Kassia to my left and little Iza to my right, the youngest daughter of Colin at six years old. She was eagerly explaining something to Linden, using broad hand gestures to help her point, but without the annoyance over the stupid cross or Linden's makeup, I was too distracted to listen.

I was at Zelda's wedding.

And I wasn't the groom.

Oh, I would show her. I would marry Kassia and maybe _she _would get word, and her heart would break into a million pieces and get scattered to the wind, never to be seen again.

_You would never hurt her like that._

For the second time today the scarily realistic voice entered my head, but I was too angry to jump.

_No, _I thought back. _I can't. I forgot, she doesn't even remember who I am._

How ironic.

Suddenly, the dull roar of the crowd went silent, and the giant doors of the chapel creaked open.

And the ceremony began.

I paid no attention to the procession, a mindless parade of dignitaries and royals that I didn't care about. There was only one thing that was important, and she didn't come until the very end.

"Are you okay?" whispered Kassia, nudging me lightly with her elbow. The murder I was feeling in my chest must have been showing on my face.

"Just stuffy," I murmured back, reaching up and pulling my collar away from my neck for emphasis. It was half true. Goddess, the outfit that the girls had forced me into. It was almost comical how ridiculous it was, right down to the billowing hat with a feather longer than my arm pluming from the top.

But Baxter and Archer had been stuffed into the same thing, and they looked equally as uncomfortable, much to my pleasure.

A fanfare of trumpets sounded from behind me. The entire company stood, turning around in a desperate attempt to catch a glimpse of the bride.

And I saw her.

Her train was too long. It had to be at least twenty feet, spanning nearly half the length of the aisle, and supported by two little girls at the very end.

She must have hated it.

She never liked impractical things.

Once it was apparent that the veil was making it impossible to see her face, I decided it wasn't worth the torment of watching her. I turned around and faced front, instead glaring at the damn cross on the window.

She eventually reached the small crowd at the end of the aisle, and her groom lifted the veil, smiling broadly at something he saw on her face as he lead her to the alter to stand before the priest.

The priest smiled, looking from left to right. "We are gathered here today not just to witness the binding of these two individuals, but two kingdoms as well. With the marriage of Prince Lucien and Princess Zelda, Noamas and Hyrule will be bound with the unbreakable force of something stronger than any alliance. Love."

With his words, I felt my breakfast rising in my throat. I shouldn't have come. I should have known I couldn't handle this.

"If any being in this holy temple could possibly oppose such unequivocal and indisputable love in the binding of these two souls, please speak now, and forever hold your peace."

"_I do."_

_A gasp reverberates around the chapel as I stand, thrusting aside the people in the crowd as I storm up the aisle, falling on one knee as I take her porcelain gloved hand in mine. _

"_Zelda," I whisper. "I can't just sit by and watch you get married. You belong in __**my**__ arms, no where else. Be mine, like I've been yours since the moment I laid eyes on you. I've waited ten years to say this, and I'll be damned if I wait any longer. I love you, Zelda. I love you with my entire being, I love you more than I've ever loved anything. Remember me, Zelda, and run away with me."_

_She falls to her knees beside me, a sob escaping her as she takes my face in her hands, kissing me with a passion I'd never experienced before, but could very well get used to._

"_Link," she laughs, pulling me close as if she had no intention of ever letting me go. "I love you, too."_

_I pull her to her feet, throwing open the doors of the chapel and pulling her into the sunlight, racing away with that ridiculous train billowing out behind her… _

Silence.

I bit down on my lip so hard I almost drew blood.

The priest smiled.

"The step which you are about to take is the most important into which Hylians can come. It is a union of two people founded upon mutual respect, affection, and duty. Your lives will change, your responsibilities will increase, but your joy will be multiplied if you are sincere and earnest with your pledge to one another."

"Will you, Prince Lucien of Noamas, have this woman to be your wedded wife, to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, and forsaking all others, keep you only unto her, for so long as ye both shall live?"

The bastard grinned a breathtaking smile, his eyes full of adoration as he stared down at Zelda. "I will," he declared, his voice proud and booming through the echoing hall of the Temple.

"And will you, Princess Zelda of Hyrule, have this man to be your wedded husband, to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, and forsaking all others, keep you only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?"

"I will," She said, an equally large smile on her face, though her eyes were stoic and cold.

"Take hands and repeat after me,"

They did as they were told, looking to the priest expectantly.

"I, Lucien, take you, Zelda, to be my wedded wife," said the priest in an even voice. "To have and to hold, for better or for worse, to love and to cherish, in Power, Wisdom, and Courage, from this day forward."

He repeated him, his voice not wavering once as he gazed winningly over the crowd.

The priest turned to Zelda.

"I, Zelda, take you, Lucien, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, to love and to cherish, in Power, Wisdom, and Courage, from this day forward."

"I, Zelda…" she began, taking a deep breath, her smile wavering…

"_I…I can't." She says suddenly. Ripping her hands from Lucien's grasp, she turns to her audience. "I don't love this man. I never have. There is only one man I have ever loved, and he's sitting right there." She declares, her face suddenly defiant. "Link! _

_I love you!"_

I stand, running down the long aisle and grabbing her in my arms, breathing in the scent of her, kissing her with fervor, my heart exploding from my chest…

"…take you Lucien, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, to love and to cherish, in Power, Wisdom and Courage, from this day forward."

My nails dug into my palms.

The rings were handed on a velvet pillow by a little girl, her ebony locks pulled back and pinned with flowers. She beamed as she curtsied, being careful not to drop her precious cargo.

"With this ring, I thee wed." said Zelda quietly as she slid the golden band on his finger.

"With this ring, I thee wed." echoed Lucien, taking the ring and pushing it into place.

"Let these rings be given and received as a token of your affection, sincerity and fidelity to one another." The priest said, turning to address the crowd.

"In as much as the Prince and Princess have consented together in wedlock and have witnessed the same before this company, and pledged their vows for each other, by the authority vested in me by the Sacred Three," He took this time to touch his forehead and both his shoulders respectively, then touching the interlocked hands of Zelda and Lucien. "I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

He swept her in a magnificent kiss, bending her over so her hair touched the floor, where I could not see her face.

The crowd cheered.

One thing ran through my mind, over and over, a sacred mantra that I repeated like a lifeline as they walked slowly back down the aisle, arms interlinked, a single unit bonded together for eternity:

_I will not cry for her._

_I will not cry for her._

I _Will. Not. Cry. For. Her_.

But I did.

**ox(O)xo**

As Kassia's family was a part of the nobility, they had an invitation to the spectacular ball that was to follow the wedding—the first night of three in a row.

We were ushered from the ceremony through the courtyard of celebrating citizens, both Noamatian and Hyrulian alike, into that of the famous Kingsgate Castle, where we were herded into the no-less-famous ballroom of Kingsgate Castle.

And boy, did it live up to expectation. But I wasn't paying attention to any of it.

As soon as I could, I mumbled an excuse to Kassia, leaving the overcrowded room and choosing a path at random.

I wandered through the endless hallways until I felt the cool air of the night wafting through the corridors. I followed it until the wall to my left turned into several arches that lead to a beautifully decorated outdoor courtyard.

And to my surprise—but somehow not at all—there she was.

She had changed into a much more practical dress, this one pale blue, with no train. She stood with her back to me, looking into the gurgling pond that sat in the center, still not aware of my presence—or perhaps just ignoring it.

But I would not be ignored. I was with her, alone, for the first time in nearly a decade. I craved to hear her voice, to see her eyes, to hear her laugh, to kiss her, to beg her to be mine—

"Congratulations, highness." I said through my teeth, trying to keep my voice pleasant. "Might I implore why you're here and not enjoying the festivities?"

She waited a moment before turning around, her face perfectly blank as she faced me.

"I have my reasons." She said quietly, biting down on her perfect lower lip as she toyed with the ring on her finger. "And they are not of your concern."

"You will be the queen of this place in a few years' time," I reminded her. "Your reasoning for everything will be the entire country's concern."

"You speak out of term." She said sharply. "Might I ask who you are?"

"Sir Nox Amex of Casperlight, milady." I said, taking off the ridiculous hat that Zenith insisted I wear and bowing low, using the name I would take if I were to marry Kassia.

Oh, was it a blessing that Baxter had a friend who happened to be in the King of Noamas's inner circle. If I married Kassia, I would practically be her equal. As a consort from Hyrule, she was not as well respected as an actual princess.

"A pleasure."

Although I could not see her expression, her tone was ice. I was not below her, and she knew it.

However this did not excite me. The one thing I had always wished for, to be her equal, was in my grasp. But I had to marry someone else to attain it. Not that it would have mattered. She's already married. And she didn't remember me, anyway.

"Indeed." I said, scowling darkly as I rose.

"You look rather unpleasant." She noted.

Unpleasant? _Unpleasant?_ I just watched you get married, you fool! I loved you, you blasted idiot! I _needed _you, you disgustingly beautiful wench! And you have the _gall _to call me _unpleasant_?

You're married! I've been courting someone for the last eight months! What has time done to us? If you hadn't sent me back and time and ruined everything, none of this would have happened! We could have been happy! That could have been us! This was all _your _fault! I _hate _you!

Before I could even realize what was happening, I closed the space between us, and my hand was flying towards her, my palm colliding with her face.

A part of me ached when the sharp smack filled the air, the voice crying out in protest at my actions. _Why would you do that_? He demanded. _You love her!_

But I didn't! I _hated _her. Love was the last thing on my mind, but my mouth still opened with astonishment at the audacity of my actions.

I just slapped the Princess of Hyrule.

I was so dead.

"Who are you, _princess_?" I said, my voice rising into a shout, turning away from her and pacing back and forth. "What have you become? The Zelda I knew, she would have never stood for being _used _to secure goddess damned relations with a kingdom!"

"I love him." Zelda croaked, her voice hoarse from shock, clutching her cheek with a gloved hand—and thankfully ignoring the fact that I just assaulted her, and the fact that I just said that I knew her. "How dare you question that!"

_Look what you're doing! You're tearing her apart! _

"The _Hell _you do!" I snapped, pointedly thinking daggers at my other self, still refusing to acknowledge him. "Love and duty isn't the same thing."

_Stop it! _

I bit down on my lip so hard I tasted blood, pivoting to face her, taking a deep breath and forcing myself to lower my voice.

"You've only seen him three times in your life before six months ago. You could never love someone so cruel!"

Her eyes narrowed into slits. "You will not tell me who I love. Lucien is a good man. He will do well for my country. I have my reasons, and you will _not_ question them." She said icily. "I do not understand why you are so persistent to belittle my marriage to Lucien. It is not as though things can be changed. We have been joined in the eyes of the Goddesses, and nothing I can do will amend that. I've made my promises."

"Don't talk to me about promises." I spat. "You have no right to talk about promises."

"I also do not understand most of what you are talking about." She said, her voice slightly wavering. "I apologize if at any point I have done something to offend you to deserve such bitterness, but I do not recall seeing you before."

She was not the Zelda I knew.

…_Why doesn't she remember?_

_Because_, I thought back, the simplicity of it crushing me, _she wanted to forget_._  
_

As soon as the thought came to me, something inside me snapped. Memories from this life, from my last, of Saria and Linden, Archer and Malon, Baxter and Garrett and Mido and Anju and the Forest Temple and the raid at Kakiriko and Castle Town and fighting Ganondorf and dying but then not dying but being sent back in time and Zelda loves me but she doesn't but somewhere in my head someone's insisting that she does and after one moment the whole world suddenly changed because I couldn't remember who I was anymore.

The battle between Link and Nox raged in my head as Link finally saw Zelda for who she was in this world, his uncomprehending, disbelieving questions filling my mind threatening to suffocate me.

_Why did you leave me? Why don't you love me? Why did you send me back? Why did you put me in this world, this awful, horrible world where you aren't yourself and the Moblins attack Kakiriko and wolfos kill little girls and people don't marry each other for love? No. This isn't right. You should know that this isn't right! Why are you doing this? Why is this happening?_

My thoughts grew even more hysteric as I desperately tried to subdue him, but he was just going so fast and yelling at her and I couldn't stop because I _want _him to yell at her because she's done so much wrong but at the same time I need to stop but I can't stop him. He's too strong. I couldn't tell which thoughts were mine and which ones were his.

_This isn't fair_. This isn't right_. I don't deserve this_ it isn't supposed to be like this _and_ _I can't even fathom_ _why this is happening_ you're getting married _you said you would never marry him you said you were going to marry me _but I hate you I don't want to marry you _you broke all your promises _I don't even know who you are anymore _and why are you just standing there looking at me like that?  
_  
_I don't understand._

The weak voice of Link was crushed by the knowledge that I had given up, that Zelda no longer belonged to him, that she was gone from him forever, and my pain was somehow doubled. Suddenly he took up arms, agreeing with me, screaming that she had to pay for what she'd done.

"Never mind." I said lowly, turning to leave her behind in the courtyard.

"The world is going to burn, Princess." I promised, my voice hard as steel. "And if you try and stop me, I swear to all three Goddesses I'll kill anyone who gets in my way."

She reached her hand out as if trying to grab me, a conflicted look on her face, but I turned harshly away from her touch. "Yourself included." I growled, my voice low and perfectly sincere and undeniably deadly.

And the voice was pleased.

**I love stud Archer. He's hilarious to write and now that he's eighteen I can to so many terrible, unspeakable things in my own canon—which hell, I guess is actually canon. Shh, I won't put it in the story. You won't have to read it. I swear…that is, unless you'd like to.**

**And yep, four sisters of Kassia are Hena, Ashei, (Kassia fits in here) Agitha, and Iza, in age order. Sound familiar? **

**Also, Link with curly hair. I'm dying to see it.**

Leave a word, will you? :) 


	15. An Interlude 5

"_Forget it, Zelda. I can't do this."_

_I sat on the log outside the Forest Temple, my head in my hands. _

_Castle Town was a wasteland. Ganondorf had taken over. Epona was being held hostage. The Kokiri didn't remember me. Saria was **dead**. She sacrificed herself for the cause, charged head on into a temple infested with monsters to become one with the forest._

_She knew all along. She knew she would have to leave, but she didn't even think to warn me. _

_Or even just simply to say goodbye._

_And I'll never see her again._

"_Link..?"_

_I didn't look up, doing my damndest not to cry. I didn't want her sympathy, her reassurance that everything would turn out alright._

_I wanted to go **home. **Home where I didn't have a fairy and Mido teased me and the Great Deku Tree was still alive and Saria was my best friend and the biggest thing I had to worry about was the other Kokiri not playing with me._

_If this was what being an adult was like, I hated it.  
_

_**Take it back!** I screamed at the Goddesses, my insides a wasteland. **Turn things right!**_

"_Link."_

"_**What.**" I snapped, sitting up and roughly unsheathing the Master Sword, throwing it aside with all my strength. It hit the stone wall of the temple with a sharp, satisfying clang, clattering to the ground. _

"_This is Hyrule's time of need," She said quietly, going to retrieve the Sword and sitting beside me. "You are her only hope. With the Master Sword, anything is possible."_

"_I don't care!" I cried, grabbing fists full of my hair in frustration. "That sword means nothing, Zelda. **Nothing**. A sword wields no strength unless the hand who holds it wields courage, and right now, I don't have any! I'm just a scared little kid. I just…I just want to go home." My last words came in less than a whimper as I curled tighter around myself. "I didn't sign up for this. You didn't tell me I would have to leave my life behind, Princess."_

_A gloved hand reached up to wipe a renegade tear from my cheek. "The flow of time is always cruel," she whispered, her sharp crimson eyes softening. "But a thing that does not change with time are the memories of your younger days. Saria will always be with you."_

_She lifted my chin, touching the place on my breast that was precariously close to my heart. "Right here. Nothing can change that."_

_She looked up, pulling down her shawl so I could see a tight lipped smile. "Everyone is counting on you, Link. We all believe in you; that you will deliver us from the great evil. You just need to believe in yourself."_

_I spat bitterly at the ground, growling in frustration._

_How could I believe in myself? The Great Deku Tree was dead, Saria was dead, all those people in Castle Town, dead. All because I was too late to save them. __**I could have saved them**_**. **_But I didn't._

_But how much worse could things get before Ganondorf was satisfied? How many would suffer under his regime, how many would perish in his battle? To say that they lost their lives to him was to admit that I had a hand in their death. Will I allow that?_

_Will I __**let**_ _Ganondorf conquer Hyrule? Will I fall over and submit? Will I let him take the lives of those few friends I have left? _

_No. I won't. _

_Ganondorf will die.  
_

_I will avenge Saria. I will avenge Hyrule. I will not stop until I end his life on my blade. _

_A blazing determination filled my chest at the thought, and the Master Sword hummed in its sheath, as if adding its approval. I glanced up, meeting her concerned eyes of my princess._

"_Can I ask you something?" I asked. _

"_Anything,"_

_The tips of my lips turned up. "Why the red eyes?"_

_A slightly strangled giggle escaped her, her eyes crinkling around the edges. "A friend of mine thinks they look cool." _

_I considered this, about to say something about how beautiful her natural color was, but decided on changing the subject. "Where am I to go next?"_

_She grimaced. "You must seek the Medallion of Fire on Death Mountain. I must say, I am not too thrilled, this uniform is smoldering without the hundred degree temperatures of the summit."_

_I managed to crack a grin. "You could always take your clothes off." _

_For a moment I could picture her very **womanly** body without the unflattering uniform; the swells of her breasts with no binding, the enticing curves of the silk fabric of her dresses that clung to her hips, the—_

"_You're such a male." She laughed once, standing as she rolled her eyes, walking over to the entrance of the grove._

_I felt my ears redden._

_**She's a princess**. I thought to myself, biting my lip. **No one would ever approve.**_

_But then again, why should I care? _

_My eyes were still locked on the bump of her derriere. I could just imagine what it would look like without the constricting uniform… _

_Argh. Game face, Link. _

"_So, the mountains, hm…?" I mulled this over for a moment, eventually deciding that plans could wait until they were needed. Why bother thinking when in the company of **her? **Smiling to myself, I stood up from the log and sheathed the Master Sword. _

"_Race you."  
_

_She turned around, a competitive smirk coming over her face, her eyes glinting excitedly. _

_"You're on."_

**We hit 150 reviews last Sunday. Thank you to everyone who took the time to review, every time I get an email notification I get so excited, it's not even funny. Half the reason why I push myself to write anymore is because I look forward so much to what you have to say. I swear I'll get around to replying to you. **

**In other news, I'm sorry to say that now that school's started, and somehow I've gotten myself involved (well, more like dragged) into all honors classes, Orchestra, Choir, Student Council, Drama Club, and ten other things, updates will be coming less quickly. I can't really give you an estimate, but I'll be cranking them out as fast as I can.**

**Seeya next update!**

**~Alyssa**

**(PS: Did anyone catch the another-character-in-this-story reference? Do you understand what this means? Eheheh.)**


	16. Eleven

**Since I haven't updated you in a while, the ages right now are as follows:**

Baxter is thirty-one. Zenith is twenty-nine. Archer is nineteen. Garrett is twenty-seven. Nox is seventeen. Kassia is also seventeen. Linden is ten. Wolfe is thirteen. And Zelda is eighteen. 

**Oh god guys, my little Linden is growing up. I can't stand it. **

**Anyway, in the starting in the next couple of chapters and continuing through the rest of the story will be the Sheikahn language. Because I'm nice, I'm going to tell you how to translate it, but because I love torturing you, I'm not just going to come out with it. Every chapter I'll give you a hint to help decode the language. The first person to figure out how to decode it gets a pretty hefty sneak peak at my in-progress side project, Legend, Acheronta Movebo and stuff that it doesn't include from Zelda's point of view. **

**Don't worry, it's not **_**that **_**hard. Or is it? **

**ALSO: Before or while reading this chapter, to get the best effect, put on Danny Boy, the version by Hayley Westenra. There's several links on youtube, so check it out!  
**

**~Alyssa**

**Hint #1: Mirror image.**

_**Exhibito invenitur beatitudo non potest locorum memoria si una cum luce verto.**_

** …**

_**Happiness can be found in the darkest of places, if one only remembers to turn on the light.**_

_**Then**_

The snow fell.

I watched it flutter down from my seat by the fireplace with Kassia in my arms, admiring the perfect, pure coat of white that covered the gardens. In the darkness, with the lights from the house flickering off its surface, it was so beautiful it left me breathless.

We were all in the parlor, watching Agitha and Linden playing festive carols with rusty harmonies—the former playing on her violin, the latter carefully singing along.

She sang of a Lord, a God who sent his only son to save us, teach us to do right and guide us from temptation. For someone whose deities were strictly feminine, I was horribly confused.

When I asked, Kassia further explained the story of how the Noamatians believed the world was created, and the holiday called Christmas celebrating the birth of a boy called Jesus, God's son who was born in a manger and sent by God to help his children.

I found this ridiculous. Why would a God send his son to help man with what man could do themselves? Why would he bother with all the little problems, the silly things that can be worked out on their own like lying and stealing, coveting and cheating? If he was truly God's son, why didn't he feed the hungry? Cure diseases? Make all those miracles happen that you read about in storybooks?

If this God existed anymore then the Sacred Three, why didn't he bother helping me?

Or was I beyond help?

The song ended, and our company (that consisted of Kassia's family and mine) all politely clapped as Agitha put down her instrument and Linden crawled onto Zenith's nearly full lap.

"Did the baby like it?" Linden asked, snuggling in between Baxter and Zenith, a broad smile on her face.

"Of course she did." Zenith replied, smoothing back a piece of her hair and subtly aiming a kick at the half-asleep Baxter, whose head shot up at the impact, and quickly began his praise as well.

Kassia put down the hem of the dress she was embroidering, turning around to face me. "Why don't you play your ocarina? I haven't heard you pick it up since the first night you got here."

Although something stung inside at her request, I forced a grin, looking over at Archer, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground talking to Hena, Kassia's oldest sister.

"Only if you can get Archer to play the violin with me," I told her, knowing full well the last time Archer had played his instrument was years ago. And that he left it back in Kakiriko.

"Archer!" Kassia called. "Will you play something with Nox?"

Archer laughed, rolling his eyes. "Sure. Just let me run back to Kakiriko and get my violin."

Kassia was unfazed, as if she expected this response. "You can use Agitha's. Please? I really want to hear Nox play."

"I guess," said Archer as he hoisted himself up, taking the fiddle from Agitha and fitting the instrument to his collar, plucking out a short scale. "C'mon Nox," he encouraged, picking up on the dread that was hard in my stomach. "We can get Baxter to sing with us, just like when we were kids. It'll be fun."

At this mention, many happy memories of sitting around the kitchen table back at home with Linden in my lap, piping out a happy tune on the ocarina, throwing melodies back and forth with Archer, Baxter clapping to keep time, playing on his pipes, or singing when we were actually playing written songs.

One song in particular came to mind, the one Baxter taught to us saying that his father used to sing it to him, the one we used to play to lull Linden to sleep.

I drew the wooden instrument from its permanent place in my pouch, fitting it to my lips and playing the first notes, tentatively and unsure at first, but getting more powerful as the familiar melody came to me and manipulated my fingers.

Upon hearing the song, Archer smiled to himself, picking up his bow and quietly playing the harmony, looking to Baxter to begin his singing.

He sat up, placing Linden in his lap and smiling broadly, taking a deep breath before beginning.

"_Oh, Danny Boy._

_The pipes, the pipes are calling."_

The sound was like magic, his booming baritone filling the room with intangible warmth and happiness that filled my chest and made me, for the first time since we left Hyrule, with a sense of peace.

"_From glen to glen,_

_And down the mountain side…"_

Zenith closed her eyes, leaning back and folding her hands over her belly, sighing quietly as she took in the smooth honey of her husband's tone.

"_The summer's gone, and all the flowers are dying…_

'_Tis you, 'tis you, must go, and I must bide."_

Wolfe looked into his lap, but for the first time ever I saw the traces of a smile on his face. He, like everyone else, was affected by the sheer beauty and uplifting spirit of Baxter's voice.

"_But come ye back when summer's in the meadow_

_Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow_

_'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow…"_

I closed my eyes, letting the music lift the weights off my heavy heart and fill my soul with light. I was far away from here, in a warm, beautiful place where nothing terrible happened. For a sacred few moments I forgot that my heart was broken, that my lover was married, that I was abandoned by both my Gods and theirs. For those minuscule seconds, I realized that I was happy.

"_I'll simply sleep in peace_

_Until you come to me."_

Archer and I looked to each other, putting down our instruments and singing the last line together, a simple harmony we came up with years ago that I was surprised I still remembered.

"_I'll simply sleep in peace, until you come to me."_

Kassia put her hand on my cheek, turning my head to the side so she could kiss me, her lips hard on mine with a pent up passion that took me off guard.

Archer wolf whistled, and both Linden and Agitha began to giggle. Someone cleared their throat, and that's when I realized Kassia's father was not a few steps from us, getting a front row view of what we were doing.

I pulled away, my ears turning red, but she waved my worries off, wrapping her arms around my neck and pulling me close again.

"Happy Christmas, Nox." She whispered, a broad smile coming over her face as she pressed her forehead on mine.

"Happy Christmas."

**ox(O)xo**

I took one look at Baxter, who had called me into the dark paneled study where he preferred to do his work these days, and sighed, knowing exactly the topic of conversation by the apologetic don't-shoot-the-messenger look on his face.

"We're going to have to leave soon, aren't we?"

"Aye." Baxter replied, his lips turning down at the edges, probably dissatisfied at how quickly I caught on. "In a few months or so, I'd say. As soon as the weather starts to die down and Zenith and the baby are strong enough."

"Where are we going?" I sat down on the dark red armchair beside his, looking over the map of the Hylian Empire that was spread across the large table.

"Back to Hyrule, I suppose. Or maybe north, to Termina." He drew his hand over the approximate path we would take. "I don't want to take little man over the mountains, and I haven't seen my folks in some time, either."

This was new information.

"Your parents live in Termina?"

"Aye." He nodded his head. "I left a week or so after my brother was engaged, fourteen years ago. I want to see how he's doing."

He paused, looking to me; his light blue eyes piercing as they trailed over me, making me feel naked under his scrutiny. I shifted uncomfortably, my lips twisting into a grimace.

"Something on your mind?" He asked gently, concern briefly touching his features.

I bit down on my lip.

"I can't figure out how I'm going to tell Kassia we're leaving."

His brow furrowed. "Why would you have to? Do you think she'd not want to go?" This was what I loved about Baxter. In a moment he'd switched from concerned father to supportive brother. He filled both parts equally well, and although his leadership in our group was absolute he treated us as his equals.

When we came to him with decisions he heard us out, and never told us straight out that we weren't allowed to do something. He preferred to let us make our own decisions and mess up. Once, when I asked why, he replied, 'You can tell a child a thousand times that the beautifully glowing embers of a fire will hurt them, but the only way you can keep them permanently away is if they get burnt. So sometimes, you have to let them.'

"I doubt she would stay behind if I asked her to go," I said quietly. "But I can't see her father letting me take her without her hand. Would you?"

This was, of course, a major concern. AlthoughColin was a fair, even tempered man, I can't imagine any father allowing his daughter to go off with the man—boy—she was courting with no knowledge of when she would come back, and all that time unsupervised and alone, Farore forbid.

It didn't make sense to me, but then again, I wasn't a father.

Baxter frowned as he considered, obviously unwilling to give me his answer. "I can't say I would. He wouldn't be being unreasonable, though, Nox."

"I know." I sighed, resting my elbows on my knees and putting my head in my hands. I expected this answer from him. He was, technically, a father of three—four if you counted Wolfe, but no one really did—with another on the way. He knew how a father's brain worked.

"Have you considered asking her hand? You seem pretty serious to me."

This, I didn't expect him to ask.

Propose to Kassia so her father would let her go with us?

"Yes," I said, looking to my lap. "But I thought we were, you know, too young."

The second part, of course, was a lie. The reason why the thought had never occurred to me was because somewhere deep inside I was still faithful_ her_, despite her betrayal to me.

"Zenith married me when she was eighteen." He supplied helpfully—and little did he know, not at all. "And the Princess—" Somehow he was able to ignore my wince. "—just a few months ago, she was seventeen. As long as you're sure you want to spend your life with her, it is perfectly acceptable."

I didn't want to spend the rest of my life with her, though. She was a convenient distraction, one I was satisfied—even sometimes happy—with, and considering my first choice was gone from my grasp forever, she was a perfect second. And _she _had no problem marrying someone else for convenience. Why couldn't I?

But that was the point. I _could._

The real question was: did I want to?

Kassia deserved someone who loved her back for reasons beyond him, who would wake up in the morning thinking of her and dream of her in the night. Someone who knew her favorite kind of flower—blue foxglove, I had learned in the summer. She was intrigued the way they looked like bells—and the way she loved waking up early to name the rabbits that frolicked in the gardens. Someone who knew the way she loved lavender, both the color and the scent, which she used the essence of to spray on her clothes, or the way her secret pleasure was archery but was loathe to tell anyone for fear that she wouldn't be accepted by the other girls for taking up a sport so masculine. Someone who was devoted to her and only her, not someone like me who was torn between her and another.

And the part of me that was Nox _did _love her, with a devotion that I could hardly explain. Nox loved everything about her, every little quirk and charm that made him fall harder over heels then he ever had, who wanted to fill his hands with her auburn curls and ravish her, who _did_ want to marry her and spend the rest of his life with her. But at the end of the day, Link was stronger and Link loved Zelda and Link decided that Kassia was just a distraction.

And so that was what she was.

"I'll consider it." I told Baxter, trying to sound hopeful, leaving the anguish out of my tone. She would say yes, I knew she would, and I would be digging my hole even deeper, living an even bigger lie. "Is that all you wanted me for?"

Baxter grinned, patting me on the back. "Go get Archer, will you? Something tells me bedding our host's daughters won't put him well in his book."

I laughed half-heartedly. "Of course." I smiled, standing up and going to the door. "See you."

I walked out the grand arches of the study and into the hallway, stopping halfway from my destination to look in a gilded mirror that hung on the wall, smoothing my hair back nervously and checking my teeth for any stray bits of food.

When the examination proved satisfactory I continued down the corridor, my footsteps echoing eerily in the hall.

I knocked on the grand mahogany doors twice, and pulled the heavy doors shut behind me when the tired "Come in." resounded from inside.

Sir Colin Amex smiled as he took me in, taking off his glasses and looking up from whatever he was doing. "Nox, m'boy." He said cheerfully. "What can I do for you?"

I scratched the back of my head awkwardly, going to sit down, taking a deep breath, my mind suddenly sure.

"Sir," I began, looking up from my lap to stare him straight in the eyes.

They were the same dark copper brown as Kassia's.

"Sir," I said again, taking another breath, clenching my hands tight in my lap.

Oh, Goddesses, I can remember how many nights I stayed up pondering this very moment, trapped deep within temples or with her breathing deeply in sleep at my side. I imagined how sure I would sound, so confident that no one could deny our love, that he would have to say yes, despite who I was.

But of course, when I imagined this exact scenario, I was picturing sitting across from King Nohansen, in Hyrule Castle, with Zelda as my bride.

Not fair. Not fair. _Not Fair._

_Nayru, out with it!_ I ordered myself, almost choking on my own breath. _You must look like a madman!_

And so, sucking up all my courage, never leaving his gaze, I choked out the words I had only dreamed about to the wrong man. But in that moment, I didn't care.

"I love your daughter. I want your blessing for her hand in marriage."

_Are you happy now?_ spat a voice deep in the back of my head as he observed the shell-shocked face of Colin, his spiteful voice almost making me grin.

For the first time since I left my home of Hyrule, I could honestly answer yes.

**Love you guys! Please review!~**

~Alyssa


	17. Twelve

**I just realized something.**

**All of the ZeLinkers must hate my guts.**

**Thanks again for all the reviews! This story is almost at 200, which is totally amazing. If we happen to get to 200 reviews by the time I get around to posting it, I will have a lovely surprise for each and every one of you in chapter 13. If you've never reviewed before, now would be the time to do it. It will seriously be worth your while. **

**I can't wait to see your reactions.**

~Alyssa

**Hint #2: Identical letters**

_**Si furor docet ars nondum sit necne sublimitatem intelligentiae.**_

** ….**

_**Science has not yet taught us if madness is or is not the sublimity of the intelligence.**_

_**Now**_

Everything was perfect.

I'd made sure of it.

We were on my balcony, under the perfect full moon with gentle snowflakes fluttering down. Vapor rose both from our mouths and the mugs of chocolate we clutched with white-knuckled fists.

She smiled as she spoke, the frost biting at her nose and turning it red, likewise with the tips of her ears that peaked out from the blue wool cap she wore.

I laughed at whatever she said, abandoning the warmth of my cup for that of her hand, running my thumb back and forth over the satin of her skin hoping to warm her with the friction.

She sighed happily, snuggling up to my chest, and I rested my head on hers, whispering endearments into the soft fabric of her hat, oh-so-subtly checking my jacket pocket with my left hand, making sure the small box that contained my entire future was still accounted for.

Slowly, I removed myself from her, sitting up and placing my cup on the ground, taking both her hands in mine.

"Kassia," I whispered, looking into the copper of her eyes.

_Endless, beautiful violet blue._

"_I know you don't want me to say it." I said, never once breaking her gaze. "And I won't, because I promised you I wouldn't. But you know I do."_

_She bit down on her lip, knowing where this was going, but I knew if I stopped I would never get the courage to do this again. And I'd be damned if I let it slip me by. Not before the end._

_Before it was too late._

"And I know I haven't known you for long," I continued. "But in the short time we've been together, I've discovered things about myself I never would have found before."

"_I learned how to be brave and strong and merciful, my sense of pride and duty, but above all else…"_

"I learned that there's someone out there that I care about more than myself." I leaned down and kissed her hand gently. "I would do anything for you. I would gladly walk to the end of the Earth and back for you."

"_I would go through this complete Hell all over again for you. The only reason I agreed to do it the first time was because, even then, I realized that I lo—"_

_I choked on my words, looking carefully up at her face. It was wiped of all emotion, her Princess Poker Face never wavering at the use of the explicative. _

"_I've made my promises." I said again, my tone growing softer. "And all I ask is for you to make one in return."_

I stood up from our bench, getting down on one knee and reaching into my jacket pocket.

"_Tomorrow I will go to Castle Town, and I will fight until I die." My voice almost cracked as I came to terms with that fact, but I remained steady, never wavering, being strong for her in these final moments. "But I couldn't go without trying at least once."_

_I feel to my knees in the shadow of the Spirit Temple, drinking in the blue of her eyes._

"Kassia," I said, taking a breath to steady myself as I let go of her hands and opened the wooden box. "I promise to treasure you forever."

_"Marry me."  
_

Her eyes glittered, her bottom lip quivering and her eyebrows turning down at the edges as she took in the ring.

"_Link." She whispered, and she let go of my hands, her gaze dropping, a tear falling from her cheek and landing in the sand at my feet. _

"Nox," she whispered, and for some reason I couldn't read her voice, so choked up with passion as she was, and I smiled then, happiness flooding my chest as she took a deep breath and said the answer I was waiting for…

"…No."

All at once, the biting cold pierced my chest, but it had nothing to do with the weather.

My hands dropped from hers, falling limp to my side, the ring falling from the box and clattering with a gentle _clink_ to the ground.

Her face flamed red as she stood up, throwing the doors open and bolting inside, leaving me on my knees, empty handed, and very alone in the dark of night.

_**Then**_

I waited an hour or two.

Getting changed into my nightclothes, I padded barefoot down the hallway, ghosting through the corridors until I arrived at her door—still marked with the ink that she had scribbled in her younger years that read "kassias bedrom" in shaky handwriting.

Not bothering to knock, I let myself in and sat beside her on her bed. She was facing away from the door, towards the window, but I knew she was awake by her uneven breathing.

I reached a hand out and stroked her hair, but she still stubbornly refused to acknowledge me, like a petulant child balking in front of a candy store.

If anything, I should have been the upset one. I was the one who got hung out to dry.

"Kassia," I murmured gently, despite the fact.

She sniffled, curling up even tighter, if that were possible, hiding her face from view.

"I'm sorry." I said, sliding my feet onto her bed and hugging my knees loosely to my chest. "I didn't mean to make you upset."

Still nothing. Not so much as a twitch. A different approach, then.

"I love you, you know."

She rolled over to face me, her eyes puffy and red. A pang wrenched in my chest. I proposed to her, and that made her _cry_.

"I love you, too." she muttered, closing her eyes.

This threw me.

I was expecting some big confession, that really she was having an affair with someone else—perhaps Archer—and she didn't love me and I should just go take a hike and leave Noamas for good and never come back.

But the words she spoke had disproven any theory of mine.

"I don't understand," I admitted, running my fingers through my hair. "You love me, but you won't marry me?"

She sighed, propping up her elbow and resting her head in her hand. "I have my reasons."

"But you won't tell me why?"

She raised an eyebrow at my frustrated tone.

"Maybe, if you asked nicely."

I rose to her challenge, pushing her down against the bed and aligning my body with hers, lifting my lips to her ear.

"Marry me." I whispered, making the pleading known in my voice. As much as I would have loathed admitting it, I needed her. I couldn't be alone again, not after I had rediscovered how much I was in love with love. I needed someone to rely on me, someone I could trust with my life, someone to hold me close and never let me go.

And as my first option was gone from me forever, she would have to do.

"No," She refused again, squirming out of my grasp, but I wouldn't allow it.

"Why?" I pressed, not even bothering to hide my frustration. What had I ever done wrong, when had I ever slipped, when had I never been anything but perfect?

"Because," She shook her head, smiling at my tone, a renegade curl falling in front of her face.

"You don't have a good reason," I accused, freeing up a hand to I could tuck it back in place, watching the grin fall from her face.

"Maybe I don't want to marry someone so stubborn," she muttered, her eyes shifting off to the left, watching something over my shoulder that I didn't care enough to turn around and see. "Maybe I have commitment issues."

"Kassia." I rebuked gently, taking her face in my hands. "You can tell me anything."

She sighed again, pushing me away and sitting up, her eyes falling to her lap.

We fell into a silence for several moments, until she looked up, her confused, hurt eyes meeting mine.

"Who's Link?" she asked.

Who's Link.

_Link._

My eyes widened as I comprehended the question, choking on my breath at the sound of my name, coughing madly in shock that it came from her mouth.

_Link. Link. Link. Link. Link._

Time seemed to slow down as it echoed in my head, the quiet whisper sending white waves of numbness through me as it revived the long-dead part of my mind.

"I _knew _it!" she shrieked, pushing her hands hard into my chest, the force of which sending me unceremoniously off her bed_._ "You're cheating on me! You _bastard!_"

_You knew this was coming_. said the voice, and I could just _picture _the smug grin that came with it.

"Wh-what?" I asked to the both of them, sitting up from the floor, my tailbone throbbing from the impact. "No! Are you insane?!"

"_Who_ is Link?" she demanded, her tone as angry as I'd ever heard it. "I heard you! You were talking to them the night before the wedding! You've been lying to me, Nox, I know you have, now tell me the truth!"

I blinked, trying to recover my bearing as I realized what she was saying.

How much had she heard?

My mind immediately jumped to the worst conclusions, my heart suddenly pounding in my chest. She heard me scream. She heard me cry. She heard me say I was using her.

She knew.

She knew everything.

_No._

A small part of my brain was triumphant, reveling in the fact that I wasn't crazy after all, that I hadn't imagined the lookalike of me, but the rest violently shoved it down.

This ruined everything.

My entire second life's dream was crumbling before me.

All I wanted was a sense of normalcy, a wife, a family, a happy ending. Could the Goddesses not spare me even this? It seemed that every time things seemed to be going right, it was ripped right out from under me.

My past coming back to haunt me yet again.

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. "I don't understand what you're worked up about," I told her honestly. "Link died ten years ago."

Yes, Link had died all those years ago when she sent me back in time, but how long would it take before he was buried? Would I never escape his unyielding grasp?

"You're lying to me," she whispered, tears falling down her cheeks, and it was a stab in the heart because I had never wanted to tell her the truth so badly. But I couldn't. "Why would you lie to me, Nox? Why can't you trust me? I don't understand!"

And she never would.

How could she love me, knowing that I had spent the last ten years loving another woman, one that didn't even so much as remember my name? How could she forgive me after I admitted I had used her, even though I didn't?

To tell her the truth would be to give her to Link. She would be bound in the death-grip of his grasp as tightly as I was, intertwined with my past in an inescapable tangle that would end up choking her.

And Link could not have her. He would never have her. I would rather die before I gave him to her.

She was the only thing that was Nox's, _mine_, and I would be damned if I ever let her fall into his hands.

I had to protect her…from myself.

So I stood up, turning to leave. "If you don't believe me, that's that." I told her, my voice cold and empty, pulling open the door. "If you won't marry me because of it, fine. Baxter wants to leave when the snow thaws. And trust me when I say, I won't come back."

Though my heart shattered at her broken expression, I reminded myself that this was for her own good. She would never know, _could_ never know, and if her safety meant losing her outright, so be it.

Taking my frustration out on it, I slammed the door hard, the frame echoing with a satisfying crash.

But when I turned to face the hallway, it wasn't empty like I expected.

Standing there, wide-eyed, her ivory nightgown practically glowing in the black of the night, was Linden.

"I heard you yelling," she said quietly, her green eyes innocently meeting mine, her eyebrows coming together at the edges. "You woke me up."

My face melted, reaching down to pick her up like when she was small. She wrapped her legs around her waist, resting her head on my shoulder, and I marveled at the fact that soon, she would be too big to be held.

It seemed like yesterday she was leaving Zenith's arms and toddling unsteadily into mine, falling face first and letting me catch her—surely only hours ago she was demanding Archer play Princess with her, riding on Baxter's shoulders in the town square, reciting letters from her beginner's hornbook. It was hard to imagine that the girl in front of me had grown from the bloody newborn I rescued all those years ago.

"I'm sorry." I began walking down the hall to her bedroom, hugging her close. "Kassia and I just had a bit of a…disagreement." I sighed, obviously lying through my teeth. I thanked my rarely lucky stars that it was late and she was half asleep.

"But you still love her, right?" she murmured into my neck, her voice growing faint. "She's gonna come with us back home when we have to leave?"

Tears stung in my eyes, where she thankfully couldn't see. "I don't know," I whispered honestly, my chest aching in the fact. "It might be for the best that she stays here."

"I understand," she lifted her head up, her solemn green eyes meeting mine."You got pricked."

Pricked?

For a moment, I was completely puzzled, until my own words echoed through my head.

"_Love is like a rose, beautiful."_ I had said, because she had asked. _"It's soft and it's sweet like the smell, and there are many different layers: family love, friends love, a lover's love. But sometimes people get so distracted that they don't see what's underneath."_

I had pulled the blossom away then, lifting it up so she couldn't see the flower, showing her the danger underneath. _"Thorns,"_ I told her, making the warning clear in my voice. "_When you're not careful, you'll end up getting pricked. So you should stay away from the roses."_

And then I had demonstrated, letting one of the barbs stab my finger, showing her the dangers of love. And even at the frail age of seven, she had understood.

And she still remembered.

_Stay away from the roses._

A part of me wondered whether I should have taken my own advice.

Maybe then I wouldn't be hurting her now.


	18. An Interlude 6

**So we hit 200 reviews! My blackmail worked! MWUAHAHAHAHAHA. Thank you to each and every one of you for giving me your support and praise. It means the world. As promised, I am giving you a wonderful fanservice, as you will see in chapters thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen. What it is, you'll just have to wait and see! **

**Big hugs to all the new reviewers and anons last chapter, I hope to see you in the review box again!**

**~Alyssa**

"_Aren't you supposed to be at the castle?"_

_We sat in the banks of Lake Hylia watching the sun rise over the horizon, our feet dangling over the docks, still a bit too short to touch the water._

_I had found her there after I left Zora's Domain, still sticky and cross from being spat out of a giant fish and having to carry some stupid girl the entire way when her legs worked perfectly fine, thank you very much. _

_I would never understand girls. They were so complicated._

_She stuck her nose up at me, a small humph escaping her. "I am allowed to have a bit of fun every now and again, stupid." She said defensively, and then paused, her eyes widening. "You won't tell Impa when we get back to the castle, will you? I'm sorry I called you stupid, really, just, I'm not supposed to be—"_

_I smiled, waving her off. "I'm no tattle-tale like Mido." I told her proudly, sticking out my chest a bit. There was nothing anybody hated more than a tattle-tale, after all. _

"_Thank you." she said quietly, the tips of her lips turning upward as she turned towards me. "You still have all three of the stones, right?"_

_I reached into my pouch, carefully pulling out the stones and spilling them between us on the dock. They glimmered in the morning light, the gems throwing rainbows across the grass. _

_She picked up the Sapphire, stroking over the surface with her thumb, awe appearing in her eyes. _

"_It's so pretty," she murmured. _

"_Yeah," I agreed. "Ruto gave it to me and she told me we were engaged." My head cocked to the side. "Do you know what engaged means?"_

_She grinned knowingly. "**I'm** engaged." She said arrogantly, setting down the Sapphire. "To a boy named Lucien. Papa told me it means you have to love each other forever."_

_My nose scrunched up, a look of utter disgust coming over my face at the word love. "Ew!" I shouted. "Ruto is **gross**!"_

"_You already took the Sapphire!" she giggled. "You can't take it back!"_

"_But girls have cooties!"_

_She frowned at me, scowling adorably. "I do **not** have cooties!"_

"_Do so!"_

"_Do **not**!"_

"_Do so!"_

"_Not!"  
_

"_So!"_

"_Not!"_

_I started to laugh, standing up and dropping my pouch, unbuckling my belt. "Fine," I said, compromising. "All girls have cooties except you."_

"_Fine," she agreed in a disgruntled voice, watching me with wide eyes as I threw my tunic over my head. "What are you doing?" she demanded. _

"_I'm going to go swimming!" I shouted, throwing off my hat and jumping into the water, throwing out a loud whoop before becoming submerged. _

_The cool water caressed my skin, the gentle tide scrubbing me free of all the scabs of my cuts, the dead skin off my burns, and the disgusting, gelatinous goo from Jabu-Jabu. _

_It was a beautiful world under the surface of Lake Hylia, with the ruins from some sort of long-gone building built into the island, the swaying seaweed, the fish that darted in and out of the rocks. It was all crystal clear, all so perfectly peaceful, and swimming was just too easy with my new Zora's scale I had won from doing a suicide jump off a giant waterfall and grabbing a bunch of rupees._

_Zoras were as strange and complicated as girls._

_No wonder Ruto was such a pain. She was a Zora **and **a girl. _

_Too soon, my lungs betrayed me, forcing me to come to the surface._

_She stared at me from the docks with a peculiar expression, as if she hadn't decided whether or not to rebuke me for splashing her._

"_Come in!" I urged, floating lazily onto my back. "The water feels so nice!"_

_Her lower lip puckered out. "I can't swim." She admitted, her expression growing dark, like she was loathe to admit there was something she didn't know how to do. _

"_It's shallow here," I said, standing up. A good part of my torso was submerged, but not so high that I had my hold my head up to keep the water from splashing in my eyes._

"_Maybe I'll just dip my feet in," She gave in, reaching up and taking off her cap. Her golden blonde hair spilled from its confinement, tumbling down her back and catching the rays of the sun. She lifted her feet from the dock and removed the bondage on her feet and likewise with her stockings, throwing them carelessly aside. _

_She eased herself down, until just her ankles were under, but I wasn't content with that. Quick as a whip, I snatched her leg and pulled her in. _

_She screamed like a siren on the way down, and the silence that occurred after she went under was almost eerie, but I was too busy choking on my laughter that I didn't notice._

_A few moments of flailing later her head broke the surface, and as she began to regain her bearings she stood, her expression livid._

"_I'll have you **hanged**!" She shrieked, but I was too lost in the fact that she looked like a drowned cat to take her seriously. "You hear me, Link! I'll have your **head**!"_

_I was still doubled over, clutching my chest, so when she fell silent I thought it was Farore finally sending me help and shutting her up, when really wheels were turning in her head, her eyes hardening with a conniving glint._

"_I'll get you…" she said in a low voice, stepping closer when I couldn't see, tossing her water-darkened hair over her shoulder._

"_Oh really?" I taunted in between my short, breathless pants, still holding my stomach as I straightened up. "What are you gonna do, ar—mmphh!"_

_Almost as quickly as I had pulled her in, she interrupted me, pressing her lips to mine._

_For a moment, bliss clouded every cell in my body, and I was floating on air, until something in my head clicked, that Zelda was kissing me, that Zelda was a girl and that she was kissing me and that wasn't okay because she had **cooties**! _

_"Urgh!" I cried, throwing my arms in front of my face and shoving myself away from her, rubbing the back of my hand over my mouth as if I could remove her germs by simply doing that. _

_Watching me flounder around in the water trying to get rid of my sudden cootie contamination, I must have been quite the sight. She began to giggle madly, crossing her arms winningly over her chest._

"_Gotcha!" she declared happily, a small smirk coming over her face._

**Okay, oh my god. Little Link and Zelda are the cutest things ever to write and omgashlg;ahegl. **

**Leave a word, make my day :)**

**Seeya guys next update!**


	19. Thirteen

**Someone asked me if I could draw my OCs.  
Oh god, I wish. But to that dear anon, I must confess that the sad truth is that I can't draw a straight line with a ruler. I'm terrible at drawing, so I must rely on my writing to do the visuals for you. However, upon your request, I asked a few of my much more talented friends to give it a shot, and they did quite nicely. They've all been uploaded to the old writing tumblr that I made a while back, tiger7210 dot tumblr dot com. From now on I'll be posting all sorts of random stuff, previews of the upcoming chapters and little oneshots that won't be included at all. **

**Even if you don't have a tumblr, you can still check it out. **

**ALSO: That fanservice I promised. Some of it is in this chapter. There is Sheikahn in this chapter as well, so get decoding! The first person to either A) give me the translation or B) tell me how to translate it gets a prize, as explained before. Once somebody gets it I will explain how, as well as all the hints. **

**Oh, and this will be the last hint!**

~Alyssa

**Hint #3: Think Erised. **

****_**Si autem nolueris vos non potestis te dicere de veritate de aliis.**_

** …. **

_**If you do not tell the truth about yourself you cannot tell it about other people.**_

_**Now**_

A month later, in the dead of winter in the middle of the night, Zenith had her baby.

Baxter came into my room shouting incoherent bloody murder, throwing me out of bed, as disorganized and confused and afraid as I had ever seen him, barking orders to get one of the maids or Kassia's mother or Kassia's sister or Kassia herself, anyone that was a female and wasn't him because he couldn't handle what was going on in there.

I did as I was told, and the midwife was called from the city.

At this point, Kassia and I had long since made up after our quarrel, her nearly breaking down my door the next morning, crying her eyes out into my chest. She apologized for jumping to conclusions, and forgave me for what I had done wrong, but she was never quite the same around me after that.

She wasn't her happy, outgoing self anymore, becoming cold, calculating, and much more reserved. It was evident that however much she loved me, trust was no longer there.

Which was fine with me.

I camped outside the bedroom with Baxter, having been kicked out of the room by Illiana on the claim that it was "women's work", something that outright frustrated me. If eleven year old Linden was able to contribute, why couldn't I? Or Baxter for that matter, who at that point was pacing a hole in the floor.

Four agonizing hours later, Linden flounced out with a smug grin on her face, declaring happily that we were allowed in, and "Oh Baxter, the baby is so cute, he has just your eyes and—"

But Baxter shot past her before she could finish, and I was quick to follow behind.

The first thing that caught my eye was Kassia, sitting a far distance from the bed, her face tinged green. I went quickly to her side after assessing that Zenith was alive and well, the baby a healthy pink and squalling in her arms.

She took a deep breath and leaned into me for support, her breath shaking. "I will _never_ have children." She said in a weak voice. "Ever."

I smiled, chuckling lightly as I stood her up and walked to the bedside, eager to meet the newest addition to the Glaive, my brother or sister in every way that counted.

The child had been passed onto a beaming Baxter, the tiny thing barely the length of his forearm, even with the added bulk of the swaddling cloth. As though it was the most fragile and priceless thing in the world, he cradled it, gently reaching to touch his finger to its nose.

"Hey, little man." He said.

Two months after that, as the snow began to melt and the animals escaped bleary-eyed from their underground burrows, Kassia agreed to marry me.

It was not nearly as special or planned as my previous proposal. A week before we were due to leave, she came to my room, begging me not to leave.

"Father doesn't mind you here at all!" she pleaded, taking both her hands in mine. "He's more than happy to have you, knowing how much I love you, and—"

But I cut her off, refusing right away. I would never leave my family.

It was up to her to choose, come with me back to Hyrule, or be left behind.

And she chose.

Our plan of action was prepared soon after.

Archer, Wolfe, Kassia, and I would go across the mountains and see what was left of Kakiriko, salvaging what we could and assessing whether or not we would be able to go back to our normal way of life. In the meantime Baxter, Zenith, Garrett, Linden, and the new addition Finley would travel to Termina for a time, then taking the much safer route of riding the ferryboat back to Hyrule. We would meet at Castle Town for the Summer Solstice, and then, finally, go back home.

This plan called for us to be separated for several months, something that no one was particularly happy about, but no one would oppose Baxter.

We left later that week, Colin giving us two horses for an "engagement present", our bags stuffed to the brims with rations as well as luxuries as good as sleeping pads and spare clothes, even a nicely sized sack of gold. With the beasts we would clear the mountains in a week, two tops, giving us plenty of time to do whatever we pleased and the ability to dawdle on the way.

Nothing terribly exciting happened on our first few days of travel, I being sure to avoid the same path we had taken on the way over.

The last thing we needed was another wagon incident.

We fell into the same routine that we always had—Archer and I scouting out the area and gathering firewood, with Kassia filling the role of Zenith (though her job was much easier, considering our meals came pre-prepared with silverware and plates) and Wolfe fiddling with the map and compass.

It was just like the night with the wagon, actually, except we had ridden much later into the night, making camp when it was already pitch dark. Archer and I wandered off, talking about things of little importance, losing track of time…

And that's when it happened.

_**Then**_

"Attack!"

I twirled around, looking for the source of the noise, but before I could find it something hit me in the ribs, tackling me to the ground.

The wind was knocked out of me on impact, and in my shock I could hardly register the fact that it wasn't a Moblin about to kill me but a little boy, and Nox put your sword back in your sheath, no matter how annoying kids are you can't kill them.

"Who are you and what do you want?" he growled in a pathetically squeaky voice. His knees dug into my ribs, causing me to gasp for breath as I struggled out of his grasp.

I lifted my head, flailing my wrists helplessly. I had to give the kid credit; for a squirt he was pretty strong. "Get off of me!" I panted, horrified at myself for being taken down by a kid. "Archer! Little help here?"

I heard Archer cry out, and from the muted _thump _and the muffled, annoyed sound from beside me, I gathered that he was in a similarly tight spot.

The kid on top of me turned his head to the side. "Laupa. Beth!" he called. "Get Rubix! Tell her we caught somethin'!"

The two blonde girls he addressed giggled madly, running the way we came and disappearing into the dark.

The kid turned to his renegade team of children, congratulating them in a lofty, superior voice.

"Uh, excuse me, sorry if I'm interrupting anything," I said, and his head whipped back around to face me. "Did my brother and I do something to justify being manhandled like this?"

"You're on our turf!" he shouted proudly, and several other little voices exclaimed their agreement.

Din.

How many pipsqueaks were running around the mountains unsupervised?

"This is Death Mountain!" protested Archer, voicing my concerns. "Hylian Territory! Since when is it anyone but Hyrule's 'turf'?"

"Since the bad guys killed everyone!" said a girl off to my right smartly. "With all the grownups gone it's our job to keep our home safe!"

Another "Yeah!" resounded from the children.

I rolled my eyes.

"Fine. Let us go and we'll leave."

"Nuh-uh!" said the kid on top of me. "You're the first people we've caught in months! Rubix is gonna—"

"What will I do, exactly?"

The sharp, feminine—and not childish, thank Farore—voice came from my right, behind the kid where I couldn't see.

"Rubix!" he exclaimed eagerly. "Lookit what we caught!"

The girl stepped around him, looking me up and down. When she was closer, I could properly see what I was up against. She didn't stand very tall, five and a half feet at the most, with long ebony hair pulled up in a high ponytail, her scrutinizing blue eyes observing me warily. In the dark I could see the glowing crimson eye emblazoned on the front of her torso.

"Dammit, Norkix!" she groaned, grapping him by the scruff of his shirt and pulling him off me. "Can't you do anything right? I said _Moblins._ Not a couple of little boys!"

"Little!" Archer cried in protest, standing up and dusting himself off. "I happen to be nineteen years old. As for you, that uniform looks awful fresh. I'm guessing fifteen, sixteen at the most."

Rubix's ears turned red, but she continued to stare Archer down. "I'm seventeen, thank you." She replied stonily. 'But I'm surprised you caught that. Most Hylians don't recognize that.

"_Us,_" Archer rolled his eyes. "I also happen to be a Sheikah." His lips twisted sarcastically, mimicking her stoic tone. "But I'm surprised you didn't catch the _glowing red eyes_. Most Sheikah would recognize that."

"Nice try." Rubix smirked. "There's not that many of us left. We don't lose track of our kind that easily. Just because some mage fixed you up with some fancy contacts doesn't make you a Sheikah. Now shove off, before I let the kids have you."

"_Really_, now." said Archer in an exasperated voice, picking at his fingernails carelessly. "Is that _any _way to talk to Hoan's son?"

I hadn't the faintest idea what he was talking about, but judging by the way all the children all gasped and began to whisper, it had to be something big.

Rubix's eyes widened for a moment, but otherwise her face remained blank. I had to give her credit, she was good. "You're bluffing. He's dead."

Archer chuckled darkly with a demeaning tone, shaking his head back and forth. "Ah ah," he corrected. "Everyone thought he was dead. But really he went back to Kakiriko instead of committing himself to being poked and prodded and being looked at like an orphan. You can test me; I know everything about him, and my mother for that matter."

Something about Archer's words was funny to her for some reason. "Fine. I'll take you back to HQ." She relented, gesturing for the peanut gallery to disperse. "But I hope you know if you're lying, he'll kill you."

"Whatever," said Archer, crossing his arms and starting to follow her.

"Who's _he_? Who's going to kill us? I don't take well to being killed," I whispered frantically, grabbing the back of his shirt. "And Kassia and Wolfe are waiting for us back at camp. We can't just leave them!"

"Relax." Archer said complacently, patting me on the shoulder and pulling me forward. "I know what I'm doing."

"Yeah, you'd better."

We walked in silence, following the eerily soundless footsteps of Rubix up a steep slope, to a ledge on the mountainside, until suddenly, she disappeared.

Archer swore under his breath.

"She's testing us." He told me, feeling around in the dark, his hands roving the cool stone of the mountain. "I would be able to follow her, but you can't go through that way…Just a sec, I think I remember how to open this…"

His hand caught on something invisible to me in the dark, closing his eyes and whispering something to the mountain.

"_Egas sap siht nepo._"

Something creaked, the sound of heavy boulder shifting filling my ears, and Archer grabbed me by my shirt, pulling me through the rock. I closed my eyes, bracing myself for an impact that never came as I was pulled through the very mountain itself.

"It's a glamour." He explained quickly, grinning at my dumbfounded expression as we appeared in what seemed to be a cavern, the rich brown tones of the rock lit by flickering torches mounted on the walls. "Like the one we had at home. But a lot more complicated."

"Oh." I said dumbly, pressing my lips in a tight line.

Rubix then appeared in the hall, her arms crossed, her expression amused. "I'm impressed," she said in a disinterested tone. "I didn't expect you to—"

"Yeah, yeah." Archer cut her off, grabbing my arm and pulling me forward with him. "We're not here for games. We have two others that are expecting us back. Now take me to whoever wants to see me so I can prove my heritage, which by the way I have no idea why that matters, and we can leave."

"I thought you were Sheikahn. You should _know _the way." She strode up the hallway and made an abrupt turn into the wall, disappearing from sight.

I scrunched up my nose, making a noise of aggravation, but followed her nonetheless.

"The hallways are meant to confuse intruders," Archer clarified as we walked. "The Sheikah can see past glamours, see, so they don't bother us, but if a Hylian like you got caught up in here there's a good chance they'd never get out."

"How comforting." I rolled my eyes.

"A Hylian that didn't know the way." He corrected. "There's this nice invention called a map, you know. Not to mention if you pass some test they hook up your eyes with a spell or something. That's usually what they do if a Hylian marries a Sheikah."

I wasn't really paying attention to his explanations, warily feeling my hands along the walls and trying to differentiate what was fake and what wasn't, but like the walls and deadly twists and turns in the Shadow Temple, these glamours were perfect.

"Are you sure you know where we're going?" I asked, paranoid.

It was his turn to roll his eyes. "No, Nox. I just taunted our only way out of here and led us in the direction of certain death. I have absolutely _no_ idea of where I'm headed to."

He turned another corner, looking back and grinning as I followed behind.

"I told you I'd find it." He said happily, gesturing to a set of grand marble doors that opened up into a giant room.

Like the hallways, the chamber seemed to be built directly into the mountain. Stalagmites decorated the ceiling, sometimes joining with stalactites to form natural support pillars. A ramp was carved into the wall, curving up and around the entire room and up again, creating several floors not unlike the way Zora's Domain was built. However, where Zora's Domain was filled with water, the cavern floor was alive with Sheikah—young Sheikah. In fact, no one there seemed any older than I was.

Archer and I attracted several odd looks as we wove through the masses, heading towards the giant archway that sat just below the first story of the ramp, above which was carved words in a foreign script. As we walked underneath it, I stopped to read them.

_Reafon tfel sitfe lsiepo honer ehw_

Sheikahn.

Making a note to ask what it meant later, I continued to follow him through to the much smaller antechamber, a circular room with doors leading in several directions. Archer chose the one directly in the middle.

To my complete surprise, Archer had actually succeeded in getting us where we needed to go. Rubix stood in front of a dead end, chatting with a slight blonde girl who sat in the middle of the hall. Once we came in earshot, she said goodbye, and disapeered through the wall for the third time that night.

The girl was at least our age, sitting with her hands folded in her lap, her eyes closed with a serene look on her severe face. As we approached she did not look up, or acknowledge us in any other way.

For a moment we stood there, me waiting for Archer to do something, until he cleared his throat.

"Hello," she said calmly, not surprised at all that we were there, a small smile curving her lips. With it, the features of her face did not look quite so sharp. In fact, she was actually quite pretty. "Rubix said you want to meet with the Patriarch?"

Archer seemed to recognize this as well, ignoring her question. "Didn't anyone ever tell that you're supposed to look at people when they talk to you?" he asked.

Something about the question struck the girl funny, biting her lip to keep from laughing. "Yes," she agreed. "But I believe you would be rather uncomfortable if I did so."

"I have to disagree." Archer replied, and I rolled my eyes at his charming smile, wasted on the girl who couldn't see. "Something tells me you have beautiful eyes."

At this, she _did _laugh, her melodious soprano echoing through the hall. "Beautiful eyes, hm?"

"Prove me wrong." He challenged. "It's hard to flirt with a pretty girl if she can't see how handsome you are."

She jerked her head to the side as if to say, 'you asked for it', standing up and walking a few steps until she stood less than a breath away from him, leaning in as if she was about to kiss him, and then opened her eyes.

Dead-center in her irises were two deep stab wounds, red bleeding into the whites of her eyes, her pupils unfocused and ghoulish. Blind. Irreversibly, unequivocally blind.

Archer let out a strangled noise, stumbling a few steps backward in shock. At his reaction the girl burst into a fit of giggles. "I told you so," she muttered.

"Wh-what happened to you?" I managed, imagining the pain of being stabbed in the eye and involuntarily cringing, my hands balling into fists.

"My father. When I was a baby." She said matter-of-factly, tucking her hair behind her ear and stepping forward, reaching out a hand to help Archer up.

"How do you know where I am?" he demanded, waving his hand in front of her face. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

She laughed once. "Just because I'm blind doesn't I don't have other ways of seeing. And five. Now, would you like me to take you to see the Patriarch, or not?"

Dumbfounded, he took her hand, hoisting himself up. "Sure." He said after a moment.

She led us through the faux wall and down another hallway, knocking on a handsome wooden door once and opening it for us, gesturing for us to go inside, waving merrily goodbye.

Archer smiled, taking her hand and kissing it once before turning towards the door, his gait confident and sure—

But then in the threshold, he froze, a strangled gasp escaping from his chest.

"…Dad?" he breathed.

**So this Saturday is my very first homecoming, and I as a class officer have absolutely NO life this week. Float building and drama club and this and that and the other thing every day from the time school ends to about ten at night. 'Fraid to say that I probably won't be updating until sometime late next week, which is why I gave you a longer chapter this week. Sorry guys!**

Hope you enjoyed your cameos! Did you find yourself? If you didn't, either A) You will be in the next few chapters, B) There was no way I could make any part of your penname into a semi-reasonable name, or C) you just missed it. 

**Leave a word if you'd like!**


	20. Fourteen

**Hey, guys! It's been a while!**

**Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the reviews. We're averaging 10-20 a chapter now, which is so amazing. I know I say that a lot, but it means the world to me and I can't say it enough. You guys are the best!**

**I've gotten several comments inquiring when Link's going to go on a turn for the worse. I'd say, right now, we're about 40-50% through the story. The real action begins around the 60-75% mark. So hang in there, you'll get the bloodshed and gore that you want! And to that one anon, don't worry, no matter how much I soften him he won't be deciding anything without me! We have a connection, if you know what I mean ;)**

**So, Sheikahn. All you have to do is read it backwards! I was waaay too lazy to come up with an actual coherent language, so there you go. And yes, all the hints were made uber-seriously obvious on purpose. The winner of the contest was A Shadow's Lament, and she got her prize, so congratulations to her!**

**Hope you enjoy the (unbearably short, ugh) chapter.**

~Alyssa

_**Non nobis solum nati sumus**_

_** …**_

_**Not for ourselves alone are we born.**_

_**Then**_

The silence was so thick that you could cut it with a knife.

We were in a snug ovular room with a giant circular grey slab of stone being used as a table, around which several teenagers sat, their expressions varying from confusion to disbelief to skepticism. In the middle, with his jaw hanging agape and his gray-blue eyes wide, sat a fairly handsome man, his sandy blonde hair graying at the temples, as he took in Archer, who was in a similar state.

After a moment I, too, realized I'd seen this man before.

Never in person, of course. Only in black and white, his eyes glazed over and his smile wide with his arm slung carelessly around the waist of an equally beaming woman, supporting a laughing little boy on his hip. I'd passed him several thousand times, every day as Linden shook me awake and dragged me out to play with her, every night as I threw off my clothes and climbed into bed.

Suddenly Archer's voice filled my mind—exponentially younger, full of laughter, matter-of-fact, on the first night that I had met him.

…_They were planning to take me out of Hyrule, over the mountains where a lot of…retired Sheikah are. We were about halfway over Death Mountain, way past where Goron City was…and then we were attacked. My father was driving the wagon, he got taken out first…_

He got taken out first…

All these years, he thought for sure that his father was dead and his mother was alive.

How ironic that it would be the other way around.

After several agonizing seconds, a boy to the elder man's left stood, putting a coffee colored hand on his shoulder.

"Hoan, who's this?" he asked, his dark eyes alight with concern.

The man stood on shaking legs, having to use the table for support, leaning over to get a better view of what was right in front of him.

"…Archer?" he whispered in disbelief. "Son..? Is that you?"

Archer's knees began to buckle, his entire form quavering as he shook his head.

"_No_." He said loudly, though it seemed mostly to himself.

"You're dead!" he accused wearily. "You left me…" his voice cracked and he fell to his knees before I could catch him. "You left me _alone_."

Hoan took a deep breath, closing his eyes and sparing a brief second to compose himself.

"Eli, send for Uke, will you?" He turned to the dark-skinned boy, who ran past us immediately, then to address the rest of the teenagers. "Everyone else, if you would kindly leave us, we will resume this meeting at a later time."

A slight, curly haired brunette from the corner stood up, folding her hands over her chest. "Every second wasted is more lives lost." She interrupted, her chestnut brown eyes outraged. "Think of the children—my sister! Their parents are being slaughtered as we speak and yet we still sit aside putting off their respite!"

Hoan closed his eyes tiredly, running his fingers through his hair. "I know, Shadow." He sighed. "This will only take a moment."

She shot him a annoyed look before walking to the door, shoving me out of the way as she left, at least a dozen others trailing out after her.

After the door was closed, Hoan crouched down beside Archer, resting both hands on his shoulders trying to get him to look at him, but he roughly shoved out of his grasp.

"Don't touch me!" Archer hissed, throwing himself to his feet and pulling open the door, his face one of disgust. "Come on, Nox. Let's go."

Before Hoan could protest, Archer grabbed me by the wrist, throwing the door open and slamming it behind him, taking off at a run back the way we came.

I tripped over my own feet trying to catch up with him, yelling apologizes over my shoulder at the several children we stampeded, trying to pull him aside underneath one of the less crowded supports of the upper levels.

"What are you doing?" I panted, trying hard to make myself heard over the ruckus of the room, not succeeding in getting him to stop. "That's your _father. _He's alive! Why are you running away?!"

"Because," he muttered, refusing to meet my eyes. "We have to get back to Kassia and Wolfe."

"Bullshit we do! They'll be fine another five minutes longer!" I dug my feet into the stone of the cavern, but the only thing I succeeded in was nearly pulling my arm out of its socket.

He turned around with fire in his eyes. "I'm leaving." He said in a restrained voice, clearly about to go off the edge. "You can come with or without me. But let me remind you that you will never be able to get out if you don't have my help."

"Fine!" I snapped, throwing my hands up in exasperation. "It's not my problem! But if I had the luxury of ever even _knowing_ either of my parents before they deserted me, let alone them being right in front of me, I can't say I would just _run away_!"

"You don't understand!" he growled, passing through the threshold of the giant antechamber and into the stone hallways, immediately making a sharp turn to the left through the wall. I sighed in annoyance at my disadvantage, following closely behind.

"Maybe I don't!" I fired back. "But I know you're making a mistake! Archer, that's your _father_ in there, alive, in the flesh, not just in a pictograph, and you're letting him slip through your fingers! Why are you being like this? You're not this much of a coward!"

"A _coward_?" He stopped dead, turning around to face me, his crimson eyes burning with fury. "How dare you call me a coward! I would give anything to be in your shoes! Better I never knew my parents then to suffer like this!"

"Suffer like _what_?!" I roared, gesturing wildly back the way we came. "You have no idea what it's like, staying up at night wondering what your parents are like, why they left you, what you did to deserve being abandoned! And then there's your father back there, against the wildest odds, and you're LEAVING!"

"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT HE WAS LIKE."

I was taken aback. Never had he ever mentioned a broken relationship with his father, nothing in his tone or demeanor in the few times he was brought up ever showed any kind of hatred.

But now, hearing him scream at me like he never had before, rabid spit flying from his mouth, and eyes full of anger and betrayal, I couldn't help feeling like I had missed something.

What had his father done to him?

He leaned against the wall for support, his head in his hands, his breath shaking his form.

I had never heard him this upset in all the years I had known him. I had never seen someone push him like this, push him until he broke, until he stopped functioning and shut down. He had always been an inward person, cold and calculating, never yelling, hardly letting any emotion show.

Seeing him like this, so helpless and broken, was astounding in a terrible way. Immediately I regretted my words, taking a deep breath and going over to him.

"Come on. I'm sorry. Let's get out of here."

For a long time he was silent, not moving an inch, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, slowly composing himself.

"Okay." He said finally, sighing heavily. "Let's go."

****It was a short trip out of the tunnels but a long one back to camp. We wandered for a good period of time before I saw the light of our fire, nearly tripping over an overturned log in the process of running towards it.

"Nox!"

As we pushed back through the last bramble to the clearing in the camp, Kassia flung herself at me, burying her face in my chest.

Where have you been?" she demanded, her voice wavering and full of tears.

Over her shoulder, I saw Wolfe roll his eyes. "You'd been gone ten minutes and she was convinced you'd both been murdered." He said, though he was grinning. "So hysterical she almost burnt our dinner."

I smiled at the picture of her unnecessary franticness, kissing the top of her head once gently. "I'm sorry." I murmured.

"Good to see you ate without us," Archer noted, grabbing his pack by the fire and nodding towards his empty plate and her untouched one.

"Hey!" Wolfe said defensively, holding up both his hands alms up in surrender, without an inch of apology in his face. "You guys were gone for almost an hour. I'm a growing boy, you know."

Archer snorted. "You're not thirteen years old and nearly taller than me. You don't need to grow anymore."

Wolfe started to retaliate, but I was faster. "Whatever. Good thing you ate, because we have to pack up camp."

Kassia pulled away, opening her mouth to respond. "It's a long story," I said hastily, bending down to pick up a handful of the wet, dead leaves and pine needles from the ground and throwing them on top of the fire. "Everything's fine. We just…ah…ran into some people that Archer knows, and we have to go back to meet them."

"Fine with me." said Wolfe, throwing his clean plate into his rucksack and slinging it over his shoulder, grabbing the reigns of one of the horses. "As long as you know where you're going. I can't see a thing without the fire."

This hadn't occurred to me.

I pictured the trip to the mountainside in my head, thinking of all the twists and turns, the branches and brambles that twisted around your ankles and choked you, the fallen logs that are just looking to trip you, things that would be hazardous in the daytime, let alone in the pitch darkness of a night with a new moon.

"Do you know the way?" I asked, handing Kassia her bag and helping her onto the second horse, sliding my own back into the saddlebag.

He turned towards the fire, his expression darkening as he watched it sputter and die.

"Just as much as I knew my father dead." He said with a grim smile. "Which is to say, not at all. We're going to have a time finding it in the dark."

Wolfe groaned, muttering hell towards Baxter for making him come with the "irresponsible children" instead of him, shooting a regretful glance towards the dead embers.

"We could have lit a torch, you know." He said mournfully, his eyebrows turning down at the edges. "Or waited until morning. You know what's in the dark? Beasts. Lions and tigers and _wolfos_. I don't like those, you know."

"We know." Archer rolled his eyes. "And as I'm an improve type of guy, I completely forgot to plan ahead. But you know what they say!" he said in a lively voice, clapping his hands together once, but I could see the reluctance in his eyes. "Once you've chosen a path, walk it with your head high! Now let us traverse, gentlemen!"

"I'm a lady." Kassia said grumpily, crossing her arms. "And I agree with Wolfe."

"Too bad!" said Archer cheerfully, starting off back into the woods.

And we set off into the dark.

**ox(O)xo**

The sun was coming up when we finally made it to the correct spot on the mountainside.

Archer leaped off the horse, grabbing a ridge in the rock and pulling down, muttering those same words.

Now, in the light, I could see what happened.

The mountain seemed to split in half, the rock pulling away from each other with an earsplitting rumbling of a landslide, leaving a perfectly rounded half-moon tunnel open for us to walk inside.

As soon as the earth was still, a loud whoop resounded from the inside, followed by a groan.

"I _knew _it!" someone shouted, running forward, revealing himself to be the same dark-skinned boy we had seen earlier. "That's twenty rupees, Shadow!"

The girl from before, evidently Shadow, came forward into the light with her arms crossed as she had before, a scowl on her face. "Later, Eli." She said, turning to us. "I have a direct order from Hoan to take you—" she pointed to Archer. "—to his chambers, and for the rest of you to wait in the Hollow. Eli will take you if you don't know where it is. We've dealt with shifty Hylians like you before, mark you, so try anything funny and you'll be dead before you can apologize, hear me?"

"Heard and duly noted." Wolfe said in a disinterested voice, watching her and Archer disappear into the mountain. He looked to the boy that was Eli. "What do you want us to do with the horses?"

"You can tether them inside. We have a stable. Hurry up, though, I promised my friend I would look after his sisters while the meeting is going on."

"What meeting?" asked Kassia as she dismounted smoothly from the horse, grabbing the rope and pulling it forward.

"Anyone over the age of twenty five was sent to Hyrule to fight off the dark forces." Eli said, his expression turning grim. "It's been several months. In their absence the eldest child in every household becomes the new head and mouthpiece of the family, the breadwinner, so to speak. So they've been meeting almost every day for weeks now trying to figure out whether or not we can spare a few of our oldest to see how they're doing. I don't know what's taking them so long; we know Hyrule's a mess and if it's been so long without any word it seems plenty obvious to me what happened to them. If you ask me, I think they're in denial."

"How sad." Kassia whispered, her gaze falling downcast. "That's horrible."

"That's war." corrected Eli, not a trace of sadness in his face or voice. "It is hard, but it is the way of the Sheikah. We are bred to protect, and we do, no matter the cost. My parents left my brother and me when he was four and I was an infant when they got the call. They died before I even learned to know their faces. But they died with their purpose."

I couldn't imagine the world that he lived in. Never knowing when you would be dispatched to Din knows where, fighting until you died because that's all you knew how to do. Leaving your children orphans to serve a cause that would have never affected you otherwise. And then if you died, your children wouldn't even mourn you properly, instead demeaning you by simply saying 'They served their purpose.'

"How can you say that?"

Kassia's mindset must be along mine. She sounded horrified.

"Every death of ours went to a greater cause." Eli said calmly. "But don't think I don't think of them every day. I have them where it matters." He drew a fisted hand to his chest, banging at the approximate place of his heart. "Here." He said, but continued on. "However, I know my sense of duty better than anything. Although I've yet to swear the oaths, I understand what they entail. You wouldn't, though."

He turned left, and we followed.

"Help me understand, then." She looked frustrated, as she always did, when there was something she couldn't grasp.

"It's not something that is easily understood. It is a life. We take our oaths and die serving them."

"What oath?" asked Wolfe, looking vaguely curious, not as aloof as usual.

"I, blood of the Sheikah," he began to recite, closing his eyes. "do solemnly swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the name of the Sheikah. I pledge to serve and protect the blessed family of Hyrule and those in kinship to them, as well as all who walk the sacred soil of the motherland. I vow to be fruitful and to continue the lineage of my forefathers, as well as protect and raise up those other than my own. I promise my life and soul to the Greater Cause, no matter what it may be, and to live out my duties in Power, Wisdom, and Courage, so long as I walk the ground of the Sacred Three, forever and ever, until the day I die."

He opened his eyes, shooting Wolfe a grin. "That's how it's translated into your language, anyway. It's a lot harder to recite in Sheikahn."

Kassia looked intrigued. "Imagine, your entire life's purpose wrapped up into a few sentences. It must be dreadful to be so chained down."

Eli snorted. "I don't have to imagine anything. This _is _my life." He paused, his gaze staring off thoughtfully. "But I don't see it as a burden. Not all chains are unwelcome, you know."

We walked in silence from then on.

The Hollow turned out to be a smaller version of the giant antechamber Archer and I had walked through, only this one was filled with small children.

Toy swords and bows and arrows that looked suspiciously sharp littered the ground, and a small jungle gym was mounted into the wall, climbing ropes acting as a ladder to the second floor and rope netting acting as a connection from one side of the room to the other. The screeches and laughter of the children as they swung from the scarily high ceiling and jumped from the rock wall echoed through the room, giving it a sense of life that the other room did not.

"Since none of you are over twenty five, Hoan assigned your rooms off here instead of the Den." Eli half-yelled over the din. "Don't worry, though, you're me and the other ones who have passed their Rite. It's much quieter down there."

We scaled along the edge of the room, carefully avoiding the children playing tag and the one that was thrashing a wooden axe, taking a short time to deposit our beasts at the stable, and going through a door and a short hall until we got to the place Eli was talking of.

The room was perfectly circular and double-storied, with simple wooden doors at every turn, with littered notes or pictures tacked onto the front. Each had a carved symbol hanging above the door, giving a sense of individuality to the owner. Overall, though, the room was perfectly symmetrical and quiet, despite the dull roar from the other room still making it through the hall.

He walked up the ramp to the second floor with us following close behind, pulling open three doors in a line. "Take your pick." He said to us, nodding towards the door opposite the one on the left. "That's where I live. You're to wait here until you receive word otherwise, but if you need anything, let me know."

And with that, he walked off, unlocking his door and pulling it gently shut.

Wolfe helped himself to the room on the right, closing it immediately behind him, leaving Kassia and I by ourselves.

She turned to me. "Would you mind if I stayed with you for a bit?" she asked. "Something about this place scares me to death. I don't know if I would like being alone."

I took her hand and led her to the middle room, taking in the small, monk-like cell.

There was a sizeable bed tucked into the leftmost corner, the plain grey sheets perfectly tucked and pulled back, with a set of drawers acting as a nightstand with a burning candle on the top, all the drawers pulled open and bare. An empty bookcase sat along the opposite wall, with a plain wooden stool resting in the corner.

Closing the door, I threw my pack onto the bed, rummaging in it until I pulled out the snug blanket that I had brought with me. I spread it over the bed, almost disappointed in the fact that it was much too small to fit over the surface.

Kassia threw her bag on the stool, kicking off her muddied boots and lining them up with mine in the corner, going to sit on the newly placed quilt.

"Do you think Archer is okay?" she asked, pulling back the sheets and snuggling into the blankets, her eyes full of worry.

"It's his father." I yawned, throwing off my coat and joining her in bed as if it was the most natural thing in the world, putting my arms around her. She made no comment or protest. "This technically is his home. He'll be fine."

"I hope so." She murmured, resting her head at the crook of my shoulder, her eyes fluttering closed.

I thought of his response when he saw his father just a few hours ago, the pain in his eyes when I demanded what was so terrible, the fire in his voice when he screamed for me to let it go.

I closed my eyes, praying to Farore that I had made the right choice in convincing him to try to reconcile with him. Only then did I respond.

"I do, too."

**ox(O)xo**

_**Now**_

What is duty?

When I was with Zelda, we got into many arguments over that word.

I was bound to the Master Sword and my status as a Hero just as she was to Hyrule and her, a Princess. She believed that her duty to the crown of Hyrule was overpassed by nothing, where I thought that love was more important than any throne, or any sword, in my case.

Because of her crown we could never simply be Link and Zelda. It would always be Hero and Princess, or King and Queen, responsible for the well-being of everyone, never being able to think selfishly for ourselves.

And that was why she refused to marry me.

I understood, to a degree, even expected the no before it came.

But it hurt all the same.

I used to dream of a world where she was not the Princess and I was not the Hero, a world where we could be together without the terror of the kingdom and the threat to our lives and the burdens of our titles, far away from everyone else without a care in the world.

But now, looking back, I can see how foolish I truly was.

I shouldn't have let hope get the best of me. It was as implausible. I knew it was.

All happy endings are.

**Cameos are still coming! **

**Sorry for the long wait, by the way. New endeavors include juggling the school newspaper, debate team, a boyfriend, trying not to fail math class with everything else I subjected myself to. Chapters might come out less frequently, but don't you worry, under no circumstances will I abandon this story. **

**The next chapter will probably come out a bit late as well, as I live in New Jersey and with Hurricane Sandy bearing down as you read this, I might lose power for any period of time. Thank you for being understanding!**

**Leave a word if you so please!**

~Alyssa


	21. An Interlude 7

**Wow, you guys must hate me for taking a long time last chapter, because we had an all-time low for reviews. Many apologies! Although I can't promise I won't take that long again, I do try to get chapters out as fast as possible.**

This interlude is formatted a bit differently than the others, let me know if you like it better than the way it was before and I'll keep doing it this way!

**Thanks again for being understanding, and thanks for all the encouragement!**

**~Alyssa**

_**Then**_

"_That looks like it hurts," she said matter-of-factly, making no move to help me as I dragged myself out of the gates of Death Mountain. Her usually covered golden hair was pulled up into a severe bun that looked completely out of place above her cherubic face. She wore a uniform that looked as though it was supposed to mold to ones body but instead was baggy on her less than womanly form, the sleeves and legs rolled up several times. A blood red eye stared at me from her chest in the darkness._

_It was late, and Kakiriko unusually quiet, no one occupying the street save for a stray cuckoo, clucking around happily and pecking at the ground for scraps._

"_Just a little." I said with the most sarcastic voice I could muster, flinching as my eyes came in contact with the scorching black-charred skin of my leg, which in turn caused a stabbing pain as I disturbed the flesh. I swore as I fell to the ground, using a word I had learned from one of the Gorons and thinking myself quite impressive. _

"_Did you get the stone?" she asked, looking a tad disgusted as I rolled up my pant leg past my burnt thigh, taking water from my canteen and pouring onto the festering tissue. The relief was brief, but immediate._

_Nodding weakly, I rummaged around in my bag until my hand encountered the cool surface of glass, drawing out a potion and unsteadily uncorking the bottle, throwing it down in a long gulp. It burned going down my throat, but almost immediately the pain in my leg began to ebb away. _

"_Impa says I have to take you home." She frowned, crossing her arms over her chest in a very un-princess-like fashion. "Can you walk?"_

"_Can you help me up?"_

_She reached a bandage-bound hand out to clasp mine, and I hoisted myself from the ground, wincing as I became accustomed to the weight._

"_This way."_

_We walked to the edge of the town, not even looking at each other until I spoke up. "Why are you dressed like that?"_

_Her mouth twisted unpleasantly. "I…am in training. To defend myself against the darkness. It was Impa's idea." She paused, her eyebrows turning down at the edges. "They say that soon, they shall turn my eyes red. Some sort of enchantment."_

_I grinned. "Cool."_

"_One of my companions has red eyes as well. They can change the way they look, see, to whatever they choose, but once I receive my enchantment, I will not be able to turn them back to blue without help like they can."_

"_Will I get to meet them?" I asked curiously, eager to see the shapeshifting people I had only heard about in bedtime legends by the Deku Tree._

"_Perhaps." She said, turning away from me and looking off into the distance. "They also want to cut my hair." She reached up to touch her bun. "I do not agree." _

"_I think you'd look pretty no matter what hair you have." I murmured under my breath._

"_I'm sorry?" She turned to face me, an eyebrow raising._

_I felt my ears redden as I looked away. "Nothing." I said quickly. "I was just talking to myself."_

"_Oh."_

_We continued on in awkward silence for a bit longer until we reached a dead end, a one way alley, barren aside from a large brown crate stowed away in the corner. She went to it, pulling open the lid, then turning to look at me expectantly, confused at my hesitation. _

"_Are you coming?" She hoisted a leg over the edge._

_"Where?" I asked, terribly confused. "It's a crate. There's nowhere to go!"_

_Pulling her other leg over, she gripped the edge, shooting me a smile. "That's what you think."_

_And then she disappeared. _

"_Princess?!" I cried out, rushing over to the box and looking in its depths. Empty, completely empty. She was gone. Impa would kill me, I let the Princess be kidnapped on my watch, oh, Farore, I was so done for!_

_But then, a quiet giggle cut through my terrified thoughts. _

"_Come on." Her disembodied voice said, and my eyes grew to the size of saucers, thinking myself hallucinating. "Come down!"_

"…_Princess?" I asked again, slow and deliberate as I lifted myself up into the crate, bending at the waist to look inside. "Where are you?"_

"_Come on!" She urged again. "Inside! Or are you too scared?"  
_

_My eyes narrowed. I was **not **too scared. Her challenge would have to be met. _

_Reorientating myself so I was going in feet first, I slid into the crate, fully expecting to hit the bottom immediately._

_Instead, I fell right through, just as she had._

_I landed lightly on my feet despite my wounded leg, as if some force had grabbed me by the scruff of my collar and set me gently down. I laughed once, my head spinning from a combination of the shock and the injuries the potion didn't heal._

_She must have noticed I was going off the edge, for she grabbed my hand and started dragging me in a forward direction. "I have to take you to the infirmary." She informed me, knocking on the first door on the left and tapping her foot impatiently. Hanging over the door stood a wooden crest; two very regal looking arrows crossed over a sword._

_The door flew open, a smiling boy with sandy hair about the same length as mine and crimson eyes just as she described stood in the threshold. "You're back!" he said happily to her, and then turned to me. "This is the Hero?" he asked skeptically. "I couldn't help but picture someone…bigger. Not such a runt, you know?"_

"Hey!" I said indignantly, at the same time that she rolled her eyes and snapped "Shut up, Archer."

_The boy, apparently Archer, rolled his eyes in a similar fashion, leaning against the door. "Whatever," he said, but the smile did not leave his face. "Am I allowed to help train him, too? I bet I could put him on his butt faster than I did you."_

_She flushed, offering him a low glare. "He's too busy saving Hyrule to have time for training. Once he's healed he has to go." She declared loftily, grabbing my by the wrist. _

_Just then, the door pulled open, and a small blonde girl, no older than two, opened the door, clutching a raggedy doll, her inquisitive blue eyes looking up curiously at me. _

_Archer turned around, putting his hand on her shoulder, his gaze fond. "Go back inside, Alix." He said gently. "It's bedtime. I'll be inside in a minute, okay?" _

_She nodded lightly, wrapping her arms around his leg and smiling shyly up at me before turning back around into the room._

_"We've got to go, Link." said Zelda impatiently, tugging on my wrist again._

"_It was nice meeting you…Link." Archer said, his hand on the door, offering me a light grin. "Good luck saving Hyrule." He paused, staring at me thoughtfully. "I'm sure I'll see you again."_

_And with that, he turned around and walked inside, closing the door shut behind him._

_Zelda dragged me further down the hallway to the infirmary, setting me up at a bed and helping the old nurse tend to my wounds._

_I stayed for two days after that night, and could never shake off the feeling that the boy knew something that I didn't, something consequential that he was keeping from both me and Zelda. But I left the caverns on the third night to continue along with my adventure, and I never saw him again. In fact, I completely forgot about him. __Even when I met him again, nothing in my head clicked that I had known him, that because I gave up my duties I ruined his life. _

_And although I didn't realize it at the time, somewhere a baby, a brown haired, green eyed baby, was being born, withering in the cold, her cries ignored and becoming weaker and weaker until finally she went limp, curled up, and died. _


	22. Fifteen

**As of Sunday the 4****th****, we reached 100 followers! Okay, I sound really lame, it's probably not even that big of a deal, but I'm so happy! Thank you so much to each and every one of you for your support, whether you've reviewed or not. You guys are the best! :) **

**Happy reading!**

xo, Alyssa

PS: In love with the story "Fortitude" by Ingie here on fanfiction. It has a darker feel to it just as Acheronta does, though it's Zelink rather than Link-trying-to-rip-Zelda's-throat-out. If you're looking for new reading material, definitely check it out! 

_**Sors dubia est duplex nobis: et velle implere recusat.**_

…_**.**_

_**Fate has two ways of crushing us: by refusing our wishes and by fulfilling them.**_

_**Then**_

The faint tapping on my door woke me from my sleep.

Careful not to disturb the sleeping Kassia beside me, I crawled out of bed, padding barefoot over to the door and resting my hand on the cool knob, pulling it open with an unceremonious flourish, less than thrilled at being woken up.

It was Archer, his eyes puffy and red, and for once turned to his natural blue-hazel, something that took a short while for me to register. He held something small and circular and wooden in his hands, cradling it as though it was the most precious thing in the world.

"Nox," he croaked, his voice hoarse and cold. "Can I talk to you?" His eyes flickered behind me to Kassia lying underneath the covers of my bed, but if he was surprised, he didn't show it. "That is, if I'm not…interrupting anything."

In my groggy, half-asleep state, it took a moment for me to string together the words in my head in reply. "She didn't want to be alone." I muttered quickly, a blush creeping up the back of my neck. "We weren't doing anything."

"Hey, it's none of my business." he said, a faint smile touching his lips, turning him back to the Archer I knew and loved for a brief moment. "You _are _engaged. But it'll look bad if she ends up getting pregnant before you're married, so I would suggest that you—"

"You had something you wanted to talk about?" I interrupted, before he could get too graphic. My stomach couldn't handle many more stories about him with the various girls around Kakiriko that seemed to flock to him like bees to honey.

His face fell as quickly as the smile had come. "Yeah," his face contorted painfully. "I do. Come with me. We'll talk on the way."

Not having the sense to question where we were going, I turned around to slip on my boots and tunic, closing the door gently behind me and following him into the dark.

"First…I wanted to apologize," said Archer as we walked into the hallway and through the room with the toys littered on the ground, now abandoned and eerily quiet. Had I slept through the entire day? "I had no right to blow up on you earlier. You didn't do anything wrong."

He paused as we entered the series of hallways I'd come to dub 'The Labyrinth', making an immediate right and through another invisible doorway.

"I don't understand." I admitted as I followed as close as I could, fearful of being left behind. "What happened between you and your father? What did he do?"

"It's not what he did," he scoffed, his expression darkening. "It's what he didn't. Ten years ago when Ganondorf first started attacking, the Sheikah were called and he didn't go, he took my mother and I and he _ran away_. For most of my life, I thought he was _dead_, Nox. He pretended to die to save his own life, and he let me go without him because he was too much of a coward to face me after he as good as _killed_ my mother."

His voice was becoming ragged as he held back a choked sob, leaning against the wall of the hallway and pulling the wooden object in his hands to his chest. "She was pregnant, my father told me just now. That meant she wouldn't have had to go to fight, you know. If he hadn't been such a _coward_—" He whirled around to furiously punch the stone wall, something feral in his eyes. "I would have had a brother, or a sister. My mother would be alive. I would have been a _Sheikah_, Nox, not some scared seven year old orphan begging for handouts on the side roads of Kakiriko!"

Turning back around so his back was against the wall, he slid down, putting his head against his hands. "And he comes to me today, and gives me that _look_, like I've spent an entire decade just wasting myself, and I realized, you know what, I have. What am I? I'm no good to anyone, Nox! I couldn't save my mother, I couldn't save my brother or sister, Hell, I couldn't even save myself! If it weren't for Baxter, I would have died, and you know what? I'm starting to think that might have been for the best."

"Archer…"

I couldn't think of what to say.

But what could I?

It was my entire fault, naturally, everything was all my fault.

If I hadn't been the coward, I would have done my damndest to save Hyrule again, and since I would have succeeded as I did the first time, the Sheikah would have never been called. His father would have never wanted to run away. His mother would have never been killed on the journey. Archer would have his parents, his sibling, the life that he wanted, maybe even by this time a wife.

But I wouldn't have a family. I wouldn't have Baxter or Zenith or Linden, Garrett or Wolfe or Kassia. I wouldn't have him, either. And I still wouldn't have Zelda. Who knows what would have happened to me without them? Would I have become what Archer had described about himself: a cold, helpless orphan on the side of the road with no hope, nothing to my name, no one to care whether I lived or died?

Could I honestly say that I regretted it? That I would change things if I could?

He took a breath, looking up at me and shaking his head, as if saying 'enough of this.'

"I didn't ask to talk to you so I could lose it again." He said to me, although the words seemed like he was talking to himself.

"Then what did you want to talk about?"

He looked up apologetically, as if expecting a scolding. "Well, there's this girl—"

"_Please,"_ I groaned, theatrically clutching my chest. "Spare me!"

As much as I pretended to be disgusted, I would rather hear about a thousand more girls than to see him fall apart again like he had just a minute before.

"No, no, I'm serious." He said defensively. "This isn't just a fling. She's not like that."

Of course, he had said this tens, if not hundreds of times before. And two weeks later, every single time, he found something wrong with them and broke their hearts, shrugging it off with the typical 'I want her to like me for _me,_ not because they like my looks.'

I fought back a smirk. "Do tell, then. What makes her so lucky as to be the object of your affections?"

His brow furrowed. "I…don't know. I just…I just _feel_ something. There's something special about her, you know? When I talk to her, I know she's not just talking to me because I have a pretty face."

"And how do you know that?" I asked, playing along.

His lips twisted sheepishly. "Well…she's blind."

The boy who could change himself to the desires of a girl who couldn't even see it.

I could almost laugh at the irony.

He had confided in me many a time that he hated when girls had a preference for appearances, that he would never be able to love a girl that was so shallow. He wanted someone who would love him for him.

Of course Archer would love a girl who wouldn't be able to judge him, wouldn't try to mold him into something he's not.

He took my pause as permission to continue on. "So I decided to go to the Vera Ostium, you know, just to clear my thoughts, and—"

"What's the veeruh osteeoom?" I interrupted, carefully mimicking his pronunciation and thinking myself quite ignorant.

"Sorry. I keep forgetting you didn't grow up around this like I did. The Vera, it's the Sheikah's place of…worship, I suppose is the right word. An old legend goes that as the keepers of peace in the land, Nayru gave seven of the first Sheikah the gift of foresight in order to better protect her children. Long story short, they ended up going crazy corrupt, since they were all seeing the first wars and the death and the destruction and all, and she locked them up in mirrors, so that they wouldn't be able to have free will but anyone who needed help could look in them. So when the Sheikah feel doubtful or afraid—which isn't often, mark you—they go to the mirrors in the Vera for self-reflection, I guess, to figure out what they're doing with themselves. They're mostly symbolic, now, like those crosses in Noamas."

I was puzzled. "But do they actually work? Will they help you?"

"Only if they think you can help them in return."

For a moment we were both quiet, him awaiting my response and me confounded into silence.

Could they help me?

I hesitated for a moment, and then, "Can you take me there?"

He looked confused, but nodded. "Sure, if you want. It's not that far."

We went a short distance longer, crossing through the giant room that we had first entered when we arrived here, that Eli had called the Den, if I recalled correctly. This time, I _did _ask Archer what the giant letters said over the archway into the smaller chamber.

"_Reafo ntfel sit felsiepo hone rehw," _he said quietly, his eyes downcast. "It's their…ah, motto, I guess. Where no hope is left, is left no fear. As in, the less hope you have, the easier it is to be brave. They carved it there after the Imprisoning War, to teach us a lesson."

The words echoed in my head.

Where no hope is left, is left no fear.

I didn't quite understand. What lesson were they trying to teach?

Were they saying that hope was trivial? That it was useless, just like Wolfe had told Archer just a few months ago? Were they saying that bravery was more important than anything?

Or were they saying to accept the inevitable? When you've done all that you can do, when there's no hope left, there's no need to be afraid?

Still pondering these questions, I followed Archer through the arch, my mind a thousand miles away.

**ox(O)xo**

The table was surrounded by several unhappy Sheikah.

Some of them were there because their parents had been slaughtered, and they were determined to protect the family they had left from experiencing the pain they had, their younger brothers and sisters and cousins who had yet to hear that the people they had bid goodbye to all those months ago were not coming back, who still had hope that their lives would eventually return to normal.

Some where there because they wanted to avenge those same family members, who were willing to risk it all and pay the ultimate price to end the one that had ended those they loved. They didn't care about leaving the younger ones behind, about putting the fourteen year old Synea in charge of the entire place like Shadow's mother had had no problem leaving it in the hands of the current oldest, Jay. They only wanted bloodshed, and were determined to have it.

Despite which side they stood on, all of them had their eyes fixated on Hoan, their leader, technically the only adult left, waiting for a decision to be made.

"We can't keep doing this." Shadow insisted, slamming her fist down on the table for emphasis. "The children, we can't leave them alone! We can hardly survive now as it is!"

"What's our other option?" refuted a boy named Fortis at the opposite end of the table. "Stay here and wait for whatever's out there to come and get us? Our families are dead, _someone_ must avenge them!"

"You think our families would rather us die in their name then keep the ones who are left safe?" Shadow stood from her chair, her voice steadily raising. "No! The Princess has chosen to allow a _foreigner_ to sit on our throne, and _that _is why terrible things are happening to Hyrule! The Royal bloodline will be diluted, and we have no responsibility to the Noamatian scum _or_ whatever bastard child comes out of this ridiculous marriage!"

Several voices from both sides of the table began to yell their opinions at the treasonous statement, and Fortis threw himself up as well, opening his mouth to speak, but Hoan's voice rang out above the rest.

"ENOUGH." He shouted. "Fortis, Shadow, you _will_ have your seats!"

The room quickly fell silent, all directing their attention to the man standing at the head.

"These last few months have been hard, it is true." He began, his eyes turning to Shadow, whose thoughts were clearly all in favor of her two younger sisters. "We are struggling as a people without the guidance of our elders. And yes, against the better judgment of our Queen, there is a Noamatian on our throne. But that does not mean the oath that we have sworn to die for since birth can be broken."

He paused, looking down at the cold stone of the table. "I have never been a religious man. Two decades ago, I took that oath in the eyes of the Goddesses, but I have never taken it seriously. But just a day ago, as we sat in these very seats, I prayed for the first time in a very long time. I prayed for an answer, a solution to this terrible problem that we have faced for weeks and weeks. And they delivered me my son, who for over twelve years I had thought dead."

"And it was this sign that made me sure of our course." His gaze flickered around the table. "We will not allow the deaths of our elders to go unpunished. And we will not allow the Sacred Oath the prophet Impa brought to us centuries ago to be shattered because of one man, the Noamatian. In two days time we will march to Hyrule."

Half the room grinned in anticipation.

But the other half rose furiously to their feet.

"Hoan!" Shadow cried. "You can't be ser—"

"This is my choice!" He yelled over her protests, rising to his feet as well, palms down on the table, his face burning with fury. "You will _not_ refute it!"

"Now." He said, as the masses quieted again. "This meeting is adjourned."

And he strode from the room before anyone could say another word.

**ox(O)xo**

I lifted my hand, brushing my fingers along the foreign letters engraved into the marble. They were cool to the touch, smooth and reassuring.

We had made it to the doors of the Vera, and the entire time all I could think about was their help to me.

I wanted to be worthy. I would be worthy. They would see Courage in me, and they would desire my help, so they would give some to me in return.

But what help could mirrors want?

"Can you read it?" I breathed, turning to look at him, afraid to make too much noise.

He rolled his eyes, gesturing me to move out of the way. "Of course I can. I could recite it to you with my eyes closed."

Motioning towards the doors, I stepped backwards. "Any time now," I prompted. "Be my guest."

Scoffing at my sarcasm, he began.

"_O weary warrior who steps into our hall  
Have thou felt temptation call?  
Dost thou desire to delve in time's flow  
To see thy actions of long ago?  
Or perhaps thy future is what thou seek  
No matter the consequence, whether glorious or bleak?  
Or dost thou wish to know how thou ends  
By enemy, by lover, by nature or friend?  
Or is it repentance thy wish to get  
For looking and lamenting on thy deepest regret?  
Perhaps thou will see thy dearest desire  
However torturous or futile, the dream of which thy aspire?  
Or maybe thy wishes to behold and revere  
The terrible reality of thy greatest fear?  
These things thou will see, so be wary, take care  
Many a man hath drawn mad from what seen there  
But if thou are brave, if thou can stand what you see  
The seventh of our kinsmen will open to thee.  
His power unknown but greater than us all  
Answering only to the Golden Power's call.  
Warrior, choose now, see all or see none,  
once you dare enter there is no place to run. _

_Just remember this above all, warrior, take heed  
Before thou take this threshold's lead  
Whatever you see here is not set in stone.  
Fate can be manipulated by will of thy own.  
You must draw this great will, thy power so great  
To escape the horrors of thy own fickle fate_."

My brain had become fuddled trying to keep up with all the information the rhyme possessed. Having absorbed nothing, I would be completely reliant on him once we were in there. But I was reliant on him everywhere in these damned caverns anyway, and most places in general in addition, so it wouldn't be much of a change.

"You're ready to go?" I asked, waiting for him to open the doors.

He shook his head, looking mildly uncomfortable. "I can't go."

My eyebrows shot up.

"Hey, hey, calm down." He held up his hands, palms towards me, in surrender. "It's meant for self-reflection, remember, and I can't help you with that. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't. There's an enchantment on the door that only lets one person at a time in."

I rolled my eyes, sighing in annoyance. "Of course there is. I'll bet your genius ancestors also made it so that you can't actually leave until you've looked in all the mirrors like that fancy rhyme of yours says."

At this he smirked. "Naturally. A little annoying, I'll admit, but it's worth the peace and quiet you get in there."

"But what do they do?" I was desperate for the information.

He shrugged. "It's like it said in the inscription. Each mirror does something different, and you have to look in all six before you're allowed to leave."

"Is there anything you need to warn me about?" For some reason, a dreadful feeling had settled in my gut.

He considered this for a moment. "Not really. It's dark, it's quiet, and there's mirrors. Not that complicated."

"Alright. I trust you." Taking a deep breath, I stepped towards the doors, aware suddenly that there was no handle. Looking to Archer with annoyance, I waited for instructions.

"Sorry." He said unapologetically with a grin. "You have to press your hand against the middle, they'll open up for you."

I slid my palm on the cool stone, feeling it ride over the bumpy inscription.

Suddenly, the stone grew warm, a blinding white light piercing the dimness of the antechamber, forming a rectangle around my hand, breaking off and sinking into the marble.

And the doors pulled apart with a soft groan, leaving an open archway for me to proceed into.

Pausing only to give a short wave to Archer, I walked through them.

The doors closed behind me with a thud, and I was left alone.

I was standing in a hallway, long and almost completely dark, a faint light shining down several yards at the end. The walls and floor were made of some polished stone that sent a vague image of my black reflection flashing back to me in every direction. Upon closer inspection, they were covered with Sheikahn just as the doors were, lines and lines of floor to ceiling minuscule print, the script perfectly aligned and seeming to go on forever.

I began the unnerving walk down the hall, jumping half a mile when a cold gust of wind blew against my neck. Suddenly, the air became humid, so heavy that every breath was a labor. Fear hung in this stale air, undiluted and strong. I picked up my pace, trying to focus only at the light at the end of the hall and not my tantalizing reflection, mocking my every move from every direction.

The hallway stretched, seeming to go on for ages, an endless expanse that went on forever no matter how fast I ran. The cold air that chased me made my skin crawl and I scratched and the invisible demons that crept up my back, strangling my neck with torturous gooseflesh. I couldn't think, I couldn't breathe, my heart pounding in my ears as I heard a half-crazed scream rip through the silence, echoing back and reverberating, and suddenly a thousand screams were tearing through the dark. I instinctively reached my left hand behind my shoulder to draw the sword that wasn't there to fight the Re-Deads, swallowing hard as I whirled around to face them with nothing but my fists to defend myself.

But they weren't there. I was alone.

I took a shallow breath to steady myself, my entire body quivering as I resisted the urge to fall to my knees.

Those screams were not from Re-Deads, I suddenly realized. They were my own.

My hands empty, my eyes stinging, and my throat raw, my mind began to slowly function again as I realized I was hardly five yards from the door.

"_Heros de Tempus, __Des sape vahuoy lair teht." _Something whispered in my ear, their cold, unnatural breath on my neck.

My heart faltered in my chest, but I pressed on, clenching my hands into fists as the cold wind struck me again.

Finally, mercifully, I made it to the end, crossing the threshold into a different room, stopping only to fervently thank the Goddesses.

It was a small, perfectly octagonal room, lit red by some dim, divine light that added to the ambiance of terror. And it was silent. Dead silent. My feet made no footsteps as they had just seconds before, my gauntlets did not clink and I walked, my heavy breathing made no noise. Desperate to encounter something, I whipped my head around.

And then I saw the mirrors.

They hung on the no-longer reflective walls, opulent silver vines and ivy growing from the spotless, ovular glass, forming a frame of faintly glowing metal, each completely identical to the last. Inside, though I thought I imagined it, each contained a pure white half-crescent, the points facing up, creating six ghastly, disembodied grins staring at me in the silence.

I picked one at random, timidly walking towards it, warily keeping eye contact with the smile the entire time. As I drew closer, I could make out something on the bottom of it. Engraved into the silver frame, was a single word. _Volo_.

As soon as the name echoed in my mind, something black shot out from the mirror, and so quickly I didn't even see what it was I was grabbed by the collar of my shirt and yanked roughly forward. I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the impact of the wall that never came as my head suddenly began to swim, the world around me suddenly jolting as I feel to my knees.

_"ROR RIMEHT KA ERB." _Something shrieked, knocking me backward with its putrid, death-scented breath, my head slamming hard on the floor.

And everything went black.

**You guys are lucky I'm lazy, otherwise that entire inscription on the door would have been in Sheikahn and if your curiosity got the best of you you would have had to translate it.**

**Until next time, you guys (:  
**

**~Alyssa**


	23. Sixteen

**Apologies for the long wait. But hey! Drama's finally done with until January! Free time! Sleep! Huzzah!**

**Vote in the poll! Do it!**

~Alyssa

**PS: EXCLAMATION POINTS!**

_**Amare est ad disperdendum.**_

…_**.**_

_**To love is to destroy.**_

****"Papa!"

The banging at my door woke me from my sleep.

I yawned, reveling in the feeling of the warm sun against my back and the soft satin sheets that were entwined around my legs, not even bothering to open my eyes.

"Paaaaaapaaaa!"

More banging.

I grumbled sleepily, groaning something unintelligible into my pillow. At my complaints, a soft giggle came from beside me. "You might as well go let her in." said a light, feminine, grossly familiar voice, her cool fingers trailing up my spine. "She'll yell down the whole castle otherwise." My eyes shot open.

I'd know that voice anywhere.

I whipped my head around so fast my neck cracked in protest, flipping over to see for myself.

And there she was, her sapphire eyes boring into mine.

I blinked once in shock. "Zelda?" I asked, tearing my eyes unwillingly from her face to find my bearings.

I was in a gigantic four poster bed in an even more gigantic room, the walls made of polished marble brick. Two windows, with their breathtaking view of the gardens below, sat on either side of a grand fireplace, over which a portrait of two beaming children with a gilded frame hung.

There was only one place I knew of with such a view, such opulence, such peacefulness.

I was in Hyrule Castle.

With Zelda.

She was different, though, somehow. Still perfect, mind you, but different. Her cheekbones were much more prominent; her hair just a shade lighter and pulled up into a loose, elegant bun, and laugh lines framed her eyes. She looked older, more mature, but happier than I had ever seen her before.

"Is there something wrong, Link?" She asked, puzzled, as she crawled over to my side of the bed and sat up, stretched her arms over her head in a graceful arc. She touched my shoulder gently.

Oh, what bliss. What beautiful ecstasy. I drank in her touch, her scent, her smile.

"Nothing." I said too quickly, and her eyes immediately were full to the brim with concern. "Everything's perfect." I assured her, sitting up and cupping her face with my hands. "I love you so much."

And she smiled again, leaning towards me and wrapping her arms around my neck. "I love you, too." She said, touching her forehead to mine.

My heart nearly swelled out of my chest.

She loved me. _Zelda_ loved me. She said so.

After fifteen years of waiting and wanting, all the hurt and heartbreak and anguish and uncertainty, she was here in my arms, and suddenly every single second was worth it as I reaped the reward.

I wanted to kiss her and never let her go, feel her skin against mine, forget the world and ravish her here and now. I pulled her face to mine with a fiery passion, not even bothering to wonder why I was here in the first place.

Our lips had barely met, however, when the door flung open, a very disgruntled little girl standing in the threshold. Her curly, yellow hair was a disheveled mess, her annoyed cerulean eyes staring at the two of us. Once she caught wind of what we were doing, her nose scrunched up as she smelled something particularly unpleasant. She padded barefoot over to the bed, clambering up the side and sitting herself in my lap.

Zelda threw her head back in laughter. "Good morning, Genevieve." She sang, leaning in to kiss her forehead before standing up and sitting in front of her vanity, busying herself with letting her hair loose from the pins that bound them.

The girl that was Genevieve wrapped her arms around my neck just as Zelda had a minute ago, snuggling her head into the crevice of my collarbone. Confounded at how familiar she acted with me, I hesitated before hugging her close.

"I had a bad dream last night, Papa." she whimpered.

Papa?

My eyes widened in shock as everything suddenly clicked.

Could this girl be _my _daughter? The portrait above the fireplace, with this girl and a boy, could they be _my _children? Could the beautiful picture of a happily ever after that Zelda had painted me all those years ago be here, be true?

The very real little girl cuddled in my arms now, who had Zelda's eyes, who seemed so familiar, who called me Papa…it answered all my questions and then some.

She was mine. Ours. She had to be.

She was so beautiful.

"I'm sorry, baby." Tears stung in my eyes and I brought a hand to her soft curls, noticing with a start that they were the same color as mine. Stroking her soothingly, I buried my face in her hair, letting out a soft sob.

Genevieve—a beautiful name for a beautiful daughter…_my_ daughter—lifted her head, her perfect eyes looking at me curiously.

"Don't cry, Papa!" she said, reaching a perfect little hand to touch my cheek. "It was only a dream!" She giggled at this, kissing my nose gently.

Zelda chuckled lightly from her place in front of her mirror, now hanging her hair and chest heavy with jewels, having changed into her clothes when I wasn't playing attention.

"I know," I assured her, holding back another cry as I pressed her tightly to my chest, debating on whether or not I would ever let her go. There were not enough seconds in a day, days in a year, years in a lifetime to be with this perfect little mixture of Zelda and I, to hear her voice, to hold her close.

There was another knock at the door, and Zelda stood to let whoever it was in.

Trailing in behind her, hesitating in the threshold with a crooked grin on his face, was a boy no older than fifteen. His golden hair was mussed handsomely, a windswept look not unlike my own. His defined jaw was peppered with the faintest bit of blonde stubble, an ornate sword slung over his attractive attire; a white tunic with gold trimming that brought out the blue of his eyes, as I noticed when they met mine.

"Morning, Dad." He said nonchalantly, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand, obviously trying very hard to hide the guilt on his face that was present in his eyes. "Sorry I missed dinner last night, Lucy needed help with the foals, they're all such trouble, you know, and I couldn't just leave her there all by herself, so I—"

I smiled, gesturing for him to come inside, speechless for a moment with my consuming rapture. "Don't worry about it," I interrupted him, not bothering to care about who Lucy was or why he felt bad about it. I would not allow him to be upset in my presence. "There was more for us, isn't that right, Genevieve?" I asked, reveling in saying her name as I poked her playfully in the stomach.

"Yes!" She giggled again, her smile stretching wide across her face. "I'm _glad_ you weren't there, Daphnes. I got to eat your dessert all by myself!" she reported gleefully. "Chocolate cake!"

A look of mock horror spread across Daphnes' face as he walked forward, plucking her from my lap and throwing her down on the bed, beginning to tickle her mercilessly. "You'll pay for that!" he shouted, dodging her wild kicks with sure agility.

My heart threatened to explode as I watched the heartwarming sight of my son—_my _son—playing so wonderfully with my daughter, happy and smiling and laughing.

It was just as she had described all those years ago in Kakiriko; us together and happy, a home and kingdom, a _family_. Two amazing, beautiful, _perfect_ children. It was paradise, my rapture, my complete, sublime ecstasy. And she was here to share it with me.

Zelda stood, coming to sit behind me on the bed, carefully avoiding the flailing Genevieve as she wrapped her arms around my waist, pressing her lips to my neck. "Get dressed." She murmured. "We're due at breakfast in ten minutes."

Turning my head to reach her, I brought her mouth to mine for a fleeting moment. "I love you," I reminded her again, savoring in being able to say it.

She smiled, grabbing me by the arm and all but dragging me to the door that must be the closet. "I love you, too." She laughed, not even realizing what affect it had on me. "But you still have to get dressed. That is, unless you want to attend court naked."

Looking down, I realized that I was indeed shirtless. It took about half a second for my head to run though every implication I possibly could. Smirking, I turned to her. "I would very well do it." I said as I jumped out of bed, walking over to the closet. "Just imagine how the ladies at court would grovel at my feet."

"I'm sure." She rolled her eyes, turning to the children—_our _children. "Daphnes. Genevieve. Go change into your day clothes. We're due at breakfast soon."

Their replies were lost as I closed the door to the closet gently behind me, turning around with a small smile on my face—

And there it was.

A black hooded figure, the same as before, with the stench of rotten meat exuding from it, a gnarled, yellowed nail hand reaching out and grabbing my neck.

The same twisted grin was plastered on its face as it lifted me off my feet, cutting off my air.

"_SROR RIMEHT KA ERB." _It shrieked, its abnormally high voice slicing through my eardrums. "_SRUOY EBL LIWS IHTL LAD NAM EHTKA ERB_."

I flailed against his grip, clutching his hands to try to get air into my lungs. "No!" I choked, "Let _go_ of me!"

And surprisingly, it did, dropping me with a thump to the hard wooden ground.

"_Ti ebos."_ It whispered, its body fading into a clog of black smoke. "Mors?"

A harsh laughing filled my ears as the smoke flew around my face, choking me even more than the strangle hold did. I couldn't breathe, and my vision was turning black, my perfect world slowly fading as I ran out of air.

My last fleeting thought was to my children.

_I love you_.

_Forgive me._

**ox(O)xo **

When I awoke, all I registered was the dark.

I was sitting on the ground with my back against what I supposed was a wall, a heavy shackle binding my wrists together, similarly with my ankles. There was a barred window just to my left, up so high that I hadn't even a hope of reaching it, letting in a tiny sliver of moonlight that illuminated a slice of the dirty stones. Otherwise, the monotonous, ordinary cell gave no indication of where—or when—I was.

"Hello?" I called out, and my voice was hoarse, so weak it was barely above a whisper.

No response. Only the dripping of water against the flagstones and the scuttling of rats.

I coughed once in an attempt to clear my throat, trying again. "Is anyone there?" I asked, my voice a bit stronger.

For a moment, nothing. And then, rather suddenly, a pair of eyes appeared outside the heavy bars of my cell, the crimson irises burning fire into me.

"Archer!" I cried out in relief of a familiar person to speak to and question, trying to stand but being weighed down by the shackles. "Why am I here? Can you break me out of these chains?"

The cell door creaked open, his cloaked figure silently padding over to where I sat.

And then abruptly slapped me hard across the face.

I cried out in surprise, the sharp smack echoing eerily in the cell as I saw blinding white stars, my head spinning. "What are you _doing?_" I demanded. "Archer, I—"

The sound of a blade unsheathing filled my ears, and the cool metal of a dagger was suddenly against my throat.

"Speak one more word and I swear I'll kill you!" hissed a rather feminine voice, much to high to be mistaken for Archer's. It didn't matter that it wasn't his, though. I knew who it was immediately.

"Zel—?!" The dagger pushed insistently against my flesh, choking off the rest of my surprised cry.

"Do you doubt me, _Link_?" Zelda growled, twisting my name—my real name—into an explicative, disgust apparent in her voice. "Do you not believe I could end your life now before you can stand trial? Do you think me so weak that I won't have your blood on my hands? You are sorely mistaken. I could kill you, I could kill you right now and I would have nothing on my conscience, do you hear me? I have never known a man so _despicable_, so heartless! You're a monster. A demon. A _murderer_."

Towards the end, her voice faltered with tears, and the dagger wavered from my throat.

My lips moved on their own accord, my body acting as though I was in a dream, I having no control over anything. It appeared that I was only inside my head to be the observer, someone else the puppeteer controlling the strings.

"Do you wish me to deny it?" I whispered, my head hanging down.

"I wish you to _repent_!" She cried, slamming her fist against the wall by my head. "Do you not realize tomorrow you will die unless you do so? Not even I can keep you from the rope! The people are in uproar, you tried my life! You know how hard-pressed I was to even secure you a trial? The Sages showed no mercy! Do you understand how much I'm doing for you? DO YOU?!" she shrieked when I didn't respond, hovering on the edge of hysteria.

My mouth twisted into a soft smile. "I understand _what_ you are doing, Princess. What I don't understand is _why._"

Her eyes began to water as she stared at me in outraged silence, her mouth open like a fish at the use of my affectionate pet name of hers.

"You will address me by my title." She said harshly after she had recovered herself. "I am the sovereign ruler of Hyrule and the master of this country! I am no longer a Princess, and you will treat me as such!"

I shook my head quickly. "You're changing the subject. Why are you helping me?"

Her gaze fell down, and she didn't respond, but I couldn't see what she was doing in the dark.

"I'm going to die tomorrow, Zelda!" I shouted, forgetting about the shackles and trying to throw my hands up in exasperation, nearly breaking my arms. "Please. Answer me this! Why are you helping me after I tried to kill you?! I can't even fathom why you would—"

"Some feelings even the best of us cannot shake off." She said coldly. "There was a time where I loved you, would have done anything to be with you, but that is the past, and I wash my hands of it. Everything that will happen tomorrow is your doing, Link. Your actions will have consequences."

She paused, her eyebrows coming down at the edges, her eyes full of pain and sorrow despite her words of hatred. "Just…know that whatever happens tomorrow will be entirely out of my hands."

I nodded once, staring her dead in the eye. "I know."

"And you will still not repent?" she asked. "Even to save your own life?"

Whoever was speaking for me considered this for a moment, and then, "No."

Whatever she had hoped to see in my face—repentance, love, a plea for forgiveness perhaps—she did not find, and her expression was devastated for a short moment. "So be it." She said in a brisk, detached voice, throwing the dagger at my feet and turning away where I could not see her tears. "Your damnable pride will be your undoing. I cannot save you from yourself."

She shoved the cell door into place, replacing the lock with rough movements. It was only then that I spoke.

"I never asked you to."

Turning back to look at me once, she shook her head, and her eyes met mine for the briefest of instants. Her gaze quickly fell downcast, muttering something quietly before turning on her heel to leave.

"What did you say?" I asked. "I didn't quite catch that."

She whirled to face me, fury in her eyes. "I said, it is a natural thing for people to help those they love. But then I realized you wouldn't know a thing about it."

And with that, she walked down the hallway, and I was alone.

"Zelda!" I called after her, trying to stand to no avail. "ZELDA!"

But she didn't look back.

The scene changed with a swirl of black, and I was in Castle Town square, the eager roar of a crowd pressing against every side.

A young man was being forced up onto a podium, beaten and battered and bloodied, his arms and legs shackled. A black hooded man with a giant axe over his shoulder followed closely behind.

"Sir _Link_ Amex of Hyrule!" shouted the man over the crowd, and with a jolt of shock I realized that indeed, the man on the podium with his neck against the chopping block was me. "Also known as Nox of Noamas or Hyrule, hath been charged with high treason against the throne and attempt at the sovereign ruler Queen Zelda's life. Do you deny these accusations?"

But how was that me if I was here? What kind of future was this? Why was it so opposite to that with Zelda? How did I end up _here_?

The man on the podium looked up defiantly, meeting every member of the crowd's eyes in one swoop of his head. "I don't." he said in a loud, clear, strong voice.

Expecting this, the executioner continued with a bored voice.

"By order of the Lady thy Queen, you are permitted to speak. What say you, murderer? Have you any last words?"

He bit his lip. "I don't."

"Then kneel, and let us be done with this."

The man that was me touched his forehead and two shoulders in turn, muttering some prayer or another before looking to the sky, getting down on his knees and pressing his neck against the bloodied chopping block. A basket full of hay sat at its base, ready to catch his head.

"By order of the Sacred Three, it is done!" cried out the voice of the executioner with triumph in his voice, and the mob roared its assent.

The axe fell.

The crowd cheered.

And everything went black.

"_Sror rimeht ka erb." _Something murmured in my ear, the unnatural cool breath of it causing my skin to crawl. "_Siht uoyer apsna cidna." _

"Stay away from me!" I cried, flinching away from the identical monster, looking for a place to run in the expanse of black but finding nothing.

"_Ti ebos."_ It whispered, its body fading into a clog of black smoke. "Timor?"

I was seized by something else and dragged backwards, and the scene changed yet again, and I was with the Glaive in Kakiriko, our home, standing in the courtyard outside.

One by one, my family walked through the glamour, each carrying a spade, their expressions varying degrees of anger or betrayal.

Baxter and Zenith walked forward, facing me before turning to begin a hole, throwing a shovel of dirt at my feet. "You lied to us." said Baxter, disappointment in his eyes. "We trusted you. We gave you a home, a family, a new life, and you turned your back on us. You are no longer welcome here."

And they left, going through the door to our—their—home and slamming it shut.

Archer followed suit, taking another shovelful of dirt and adding it to their pile, his crimson eyes betrayed. "You were my brother. My best friend. I thought I could trust you with my life. But I was wrong. We all were. You're a liar, a traitor, and a murderer. Never come back."

Little Linden came forward, tears streaming down her face as she took her shovel and continued the hole. "I always wanted to be just like you when I grew up." She cried. "I loved you. You saved me when I was a baby, treated me like I was your sister, your daughter, but you lied to me my entire life. I will never be able to forgive you."

Kassia was crying as Linden was, but she made no move to dig. She only stepped towards me, cupping my cheek with her hand. "All I wanted was the truth." She whispered, then turned to the hole, shoving her spade in.

The ground cracked into a grave-sized hole, the dirt falling into a seemingly bottomless pit that was perfectly my size.

"Goodbye, Nox." said Baxter from behind me, and I jumped, not realizing he had come back outside. "Or should I call you Link?"

And he pushed me in.

I fell hard, headfirst into the expanse of nothing, the wind whistling in my ears, for what seemed like an eternity, the harsh laughing of my former family still audible. It was torture, having everything I had ever done wrong shoved in my face, out for everyone to see. They all left me, abandoned me. I was alone, again.

Something grabbed me, stopping my falling, and I was suspended over the narrow hole of blackness, my feet dangling, unable to find anything of purchase.

""_Sror rimeht ka erb." _said another one of the black things, its unmoving smile the only thing visible. _"Niaga siht reah revenl liwu oydna."_

"Just let me fall." I whispered, broken.

And it did.

However, it wasn't done with me. Its voice filled my ears yet again.

"Ante! _Emoc_!"

Suddenly I wasn't falling anymore, but in Kokiri forest, in the Deku Tree's grove, watching a slight, weathered blonde woman put a blue bundle of blankets at his roots, tears streaming down her face as she tried to staunch the flow of blood from a wound in her abdomen. She collapsed, and the Deku Tree let out a soft sight of sorrow, and—

"Lugeo!"

Abruptly the scene changed, and I was in my bedroom at Amex manor with Kassia, sitting in the loveseat by the fireplace. She curled up to my chest, sighing contently as I wound my fingers in her hair, bringing my mouth to her ear. "I love you," I murmured, kissing her forehead once.

"Post!"

We disappeared in a swirl of black as I was uprooted yet again, another one of the spirits pressing its face to mine. _"ROR RIMEHT KE ARB" _it screamed.

"NO!" I roared, grasping the spirit by the throat and throwing it away. It hit against something invisible midair, the sound of something shattering reverberating in my ears as shards of it sliced across my face.

All of a sudden I was not in an expanse of nothing, but back in the Vera, the utter silence ringing in my ears. I touched my face once, and I was bleeding, several cuts of varying depth all over my upper body. Turning around slowly, a sense of dread bubbling in my stomach, I realized what I had done.

The mirror was broken. The smile was gone.

**So does anyone have any idea where I'm going with this? Can you match up all six of the scenarios that Nox saw with the six things the mirrors show you? First one to do so correctly gets the same prize as the last contest: sneak peak at the almost for sure Zelda's point of view that will be my next, rather short, side project at the very minimum. Keep in mind, though, that Link breaks the last mirror before he can see what's in it, so that last one is your wild card, probably the hardest one to place. **

**See you next update!**


	24. An Interlude 8

**Have half of you guys died? Only 7 people reviewed last chapter. Did I do something wrong? :o  
Enjoy the interlude. **

_It was late, well past sundown, when I sprinted inside the walls of the ranch, tired and scared beyond my wits. _

_No one had informed me Stal-Children came out at night. If it weren't for that shield I had bought in Castle Town, I would have been ripped to shreds._

Thank Farore it was so big.

_It appeared as though no one had died on the ranch—or maybe it was just some sort of holy ground, or maybe the Goddesses were done making my life a living Hell—for none of the skeletal monsters followed me onto the property (A sign declared it as Lon Lon Ranch) as I followed the dirt path past a barn and a house._

As I went further up, a very familiar sounding voice was singing a very peaceful, sweet melody. 

_I hurried towards it, eager for other human companionship, having a very good idea of who it was. _

_Lo and behold, it was the same girl that I had helped at the Castle, standing in the middle of the pasture with many horses grazing all around her._

When I approached, she looked up, a broad smile stretching across her face.

"_Oh, it's the Fairy Boy again!" she said cheerfully, clapping her hands together. "Thank you for findin' my dad. He came home in a hurry after you found him, apologizin' to me somethin' fierce!"_

"_No problem!" I declared happily. "Anything for you, Miss Mal—woah!" _

_Before I could finish my sentence, the roan foal standing to her left pressed her muzzle into my arm, the force of it nearly pushing me over. _

_She giggled, and the simple sound of it brought a grin to my face, as well. "I have to introduce you to my friend. She's this horse…Her name is Epona. Isn't she cute?" _

_I reached out to pet the beast, but it suddenly took off in the opposite direction, kicking up dirt in my face._

Malon laughed. "Looks like Epona is afraid of you, Fairy Boy!" she said with another smile. "But we can fix that. You know that song I was just singin'? My mama composed it. We can sing it together, and maybe she'll trust you!"

I grimaced, shaking my head. "I can't sing." I told her, reaching into my pouch and pulling out Saria's ocarina. "But I can play, if you want." 

"_That's such a cute ocarina!" she squealed. "Will you really play with me?"_

I nodded, and she began to sing. 

_I repeated her notes to the best of my ability, getting a bit muddled the first time. But by the third, I was able to play just as well as she could. _

_Sure enough, as soon as I was able to play it correctly, Epona came scrambling over to me, nuzzling my arm just as she had before. _

"_I knew that would fix it!" Malon exclaimed, jumping up and down excitedly, but stopping abruptly when a cry of pain escaped my lips as the beast disturbed one of the gashes the Stal-Children had given me. "What happened to you?"_

"_Claws," I gasped out, cradling my arm gently. "Big, sharp, undead claws."_

"You went into the field after sundown?" Her face darkened in understanding. "You're darn brave, Fairy Boy. Or just stupid."  


_I sighed. "I know." I said sullenly, grabbing a handful of my tunic and pressing it to the wound, trying to staunch the blood that was now trickling steadily from it._

"_I can help, if you want." She patted Epona once on the head before starting back to the ranch house. "There's still a little stew left from dinner." _

_When I didn't follow, she turned back, shooting me a tentative smile. "You'd be surprised what a nice, hot meal and some kindness can do." She said. "In these times, we've gotta be kind, you know? I want to help. Really."_

_Reluctantly, I trudged behind her, keeping my arm elevated as she opened the door to her home, warm candlelight spilling into the darkness._

"In you get!" she ordered, gesturing me inside and giving me a little push when I didn't comply quickly enough. 

_A heavenly scent surrounded me as a passed through the threshold, and saliva immediately built up in my mouth, my stomach roaring its assent. I hadn't eaten much besides Deku nuts for the past few days, which…well…let's just say that anything she could have fed me would have been a step up from that. _

_Immediately she went to the fire where a large cauldron was bubbling with what was likely a stew from the mouthwatering smell of it, grabbing a bowl from the table and ladling a healthy portion inside, causing my heart to sing. Food! Glorious, edible, food! Food that wouldn't explode in my stomach—**literally**—when I ate it! _

_Setting it down on the table and plopping a spoon inside, she looked up at me expectantly. "Dig in." _

_I was more than happy to comply. _

_After I had all but licked the bowl clean she sat me up on the table, picking out pieces of severed claw from the gash before cleaning it and beginning the tedious task of bandaging. Naturally, we fell into conversation._

"I was a bit shocked when I saw you running onto the ranch." She admitted, giggling. "I thought you were a horse that escaped from the barn and was running back when they saw the skullies. Once they do it once, they never do it again, you know. But then I realized it was you, Fairy Boy, and I was so surprised to see you again!" 

_I scowled, my expression darkening. "I seem like a big idiot, don't I, barging onto your property and bleeding all over your…your grass," She snickered at that, but managed to keep her hands steady as she laid another bandage. "And coming into your house and eating your food and taking your time."  
_

_Feeling this helpless, this needy, and not being able to refuse help…it made my newly found testosterone boil. I was the man—okay, maybe not a man at this point…not even close to a man, but still—I could take care of myself. I didn't need this coddling, this help. It didn't take much to put bandages on, after all. _

_Malon smiled patiently, taking the empty bowl that was beside me and walking over to put it in the washbasin. "I don't think you're an idiot." She said with firm resolution. "I think you needed a friend is all. I needed a friend when you found my pa, and you helped me, so I'm gonna do my darndest to help you, because that's what friends do, you hear?"  
_

_Still not convinced but not wanting to make her upset, I nodded.  
_

_Her brief fit of passion melted away immediately, and she was just another little girl again when she spoke._

_"Tomorrow you can help me milk the cows. Pa usually does that, but sometimes he forgets when he sleeps in." she giggled, tying the edges of the bandages together in a sweet little bow, patting my arm gently to indicate she was finished. _

_When I made no move to get off the table, she shot me a stern look. "You'd better get off to bed. The early bird catches the worm, that's what Pa says!"_

I cleared my throat, pushing to my feet and smiling. "Yeah." I agreed, scratching my head awkwardly with my good hand. "…Thank you, Miss Malon. For everything."

"Think nothing of it." She said happily, brushing off the table and tucking the rest of the bandages into a drawer. "You never know how far a little bit of kindness can go."

_And as I curled underneath the soft, warm quilt several minutes later, I realized that she was right. My young, naïve mind clung to it, repeating it over and over like a mantra, hoping that somehow the words would protect me from the horrors to come. _

_Anything could be solved with a nice, hot, meal, some kindness, and a friend. _


	25. Seventeen

**As of a week or so ago, we had 303 reviews and over 25,000 hits. Have I ever told you how much I love you guys?  
I effing love you guys.**

**Sorry for the long wait, this chapter is sort of a filler leading up to the action that starts to happen in Castle Town, and it took a while for me to get the proper balance of foreshadowing, Easter eggs, and feels. **

**More cameos this chapter, too, though I don't know how many of the first people that reviewed still follow this story, so I broke the rule and added new reviewers in, too. Let me know if you like your character! **

**A new thing I'm starting, I will try to have a new poll up for at least every other update. I know a lot of you either are too lazy or don't feel comfortable reviewing, so this will be a way for you to get your opinion across anonymously with no way of me judging you. And it only takes two clicks! Yes, there is a new poll up now, so go check it out, and feel free to review with an explanation if you deem fit. **

**Hope you enjoy the chapter!  
**

**xoxo,  
~Alyssa**

Pushing myself up from the floor, I stumbled wildly to the left, leaning against the wall for support. My hand brushed against my face.

It came back covered with crimson.

I doubled over, the thick air choking me as I heaved in disgust at the things I had just seen.

I had her. She was _with me_. And I let her slip through my fingers like she was nothing but the wind.

Bile rose in my throat, my eyes burning with unshed tears as I coughed and sputtered, futilely trying to block out the images that plagued my mind.

Her lips against mine. My daughter in my arms. A dagger against my throat. The burning hatred in her eyes as she threatened to end my life, as she called me a demon, a murderer, worse than the man I had ended to save her all those years ago.

No. No. No. No. No. No.

I fell to the ground, curling up on the cold marble of the floor, hugging my knees to my chest as if that alone could hold the cracked pieces of my fragile sanity together.

_Breathe_. I begged myself, and my chest unsteadily obeyed, sucking in a lungful of air.

Somehow I was able to lift myself up, staggering out of that damned room and away from the broken glass, the horrific memories, the impossibly high pitched laughter that rang in my ears as I ran down the hall…

"Farore! What happened to you?"

The stone doors thudded closed behind me, and I leaned against them. "I don't know!" I said hurriedly, like I was a small child frantically trying to piece the shards of a broken vase together to avoid a scolding. "I didn't do anything wrong!"

He stared at me uncomprehendingly. "I never said you did! Are you okay?"

He placed a concerned hand on my shoulder, and I took a deep breath, as if I were exhaling all my qualms, and wiping my face. "I…I'm fine." I said, shaking my head, though I was very far from fine. "I think I just might be a bit…erm…claustrophobic, is all. Sorry I made you wait all this time. You could have left without me, I would have found my way."

Archer's eyes flickered with apprehension. "Nox, you were only in there ten minutes."

Ten minutes.

Ten inconsequential, meaningless minutes.

How many horrible, impossible ten minute increments have I lived through? What of purpose could possibly happen in ten minutes…?

I watched the Deku Tree die. I destroyed a giant spider inside him. I fought a jellyfish inside a whale. I learned I had been sent seven years back in time, and that the land I called home was a wasteland. I learned Saria was dead. I saw Darunia sacrifice himself for his people, I walked through a barren, dead Zora's Domain, I fought a giant, disembodied monster with one eye that crushed me with his dead hands and whispered falsities down my throat, I proposed to my only love and watched her turn me down and get kidnapped by the man of my nightmares in one fell swoop. I fought him. I died. She sent me back in time.

I learned she didn't remember me, I saw a little girl get mauled and killed by a Wolfos, I fell in love a second time, only to watch my first love walk down the aisle to meet another man. I've lived through all of it, and always I've persevered, prevailed. I've picked myself up from the brink of death and madness and heartbreak every single time.

And now.

And now this.

I was forced to relive it all.

How many times do those damn Goddesses expect me to be slapped down, thrown to the Wolfos and have my face ground into the dirt and get back up again? How do they know that one day I won't decide that enough is enough and jump off the deep end?

What did I do to deserve this?

What had I done wrong?

When had I ever strayed from the task that they had given me? When was there ever something I hadn't given up for Hyrule, for her?

After all those bites and scratches, broken bones and severed tendons, burns and strangle marks, giving up my childhood, being unable to save the only kind of parent I had ever known, watching my home be ruined around me, falling in love and having my heart torn to shreds and still working for their cause…I still deserved this?

Suddenly the coldness from the Vera was on my neck, and a gentle voice whispered in my ear, caressing my neck with its velvety, seductive tone.

_You will get your revenge. _

"I will get my revenge." I murmured inaudibly, my eyes beginning to unfocus.

_Bide your time, boy. Pretend like nothing is wrong. Make friends. Gain their trust. You will ruin Hyrule when the time is right. _

My head snapped up, and I realized Archer was still looking at me expectantly, and that was when it clicked in my head that I should probably respond.

"Oh." I said offhandedly, wiping a mixture of perspiration and blood from my brow, and thanking the Goddesses he didn't ask about it. "Time just goes by so fast in there, doesn't it?"

I will get my revenge.

**xxxx**

After cleaning myself up and pilfering a bit of red potion from an unmarked closet to close the scratches on my face, I had Archer lead me back to the Den, hoping **fervently** that Kassia hadn't woken up yet.

Archer had a place to be, as soon as we reached the door he mumbled a quick excuse and bolted in the opposite direction without so much as a goodbye. Shaking my head, I opened the door and slid inside.

A few dozen teenagers about my age were all gathered around a small bulletin board, and judging by the tone of their voices, they weren't at all happy.

"What's going on?" I asked, Kassia abandoned, pushing my way through the throng to see what exactly it was they were all worked up about.

"Just _look_ at this." huffed an outraged boy just a few years younger than me, pulling the piece of parchment that everyone was looking at slightly off the wall so I could see it. "By order of the High Matriarch," he read in a snooty voice. "All persons over the age of sixteen will be honored with the duty of continuing the work of our fallen allies and will be sent to Hyrule immediately to aid the Royal Family in their time of need. Belongings will be limited to one pack per person which will be fully supplied with rations. Be ready to leave at any moment. Hyrule thanks you for your services."

He growled, angrily throwing it back to the wall, where several others leaned forward so they could see it for themselves. "What do they think they're playing at?"

An eager girl with bright green eyes grabbed onto his arm, trying hard to not smile. "Hank, maybe you'll find dad! Oooh, you're so lucky, I wish I could go!"

Hank shook his head roughly. "No, you don't." he said angrily. "And I'm not going. There's no way in Hell I'm leaving you alone. This is a death sentence, Synea, don't you understand? They're sending us there because no one in the original group is left! Something killed them, and now Hoan's sending us like pigs to a slaughter."

Synea's face fell, her eyes beginning to water as her brother stole the hope from right under her feet.

"Damn right." agreed a girl to his left, her sleep-disheveled blonde hair falling halfway to her back. "There's no way he's really going to send _all _of us. At this rate, we'll die out."

"I don't think that matters to Hoan, Leila." said another boy with shaggy black hair bitterly. "As long as he's tucked away safe and sound while we fight the battles for him."

Leila crossed her arms. "Bet he'll change his mind when he realizes his stupid decree of his entails his son to go, too."

"That's right." The same boy agreed, a thoughtful look coming over his face. "But is he one of us, technically?"

"He said he was going anyway at the meeting, didn't he?" pointed out the identical looking girl standing next to Leila.

"That doesn't mean he won't ditch us." interjected a girl with dark mahogany hair that fell down her back in wild tendrils. "He's not going to Hyrule to help, he's going because that's where he was headed."

Just then, the door to the chamber opened, and a young man with skin a similar shade to Eli was opening the door for Shadow, who had a very displeased look on her face.

Hank turned quickly around, ripping the paper off the wall and stalking towards them angrily. "Jay! Cora! What the Hell?" he yelled, waving it around furiously.

"I'm not happy about it either!" snapped Shadow, presumably Cora, slamming the door behind her as she began to bolt up the stairs.

The man that was Jay caught her, rubbing her shoulders soothingly as he half-pulled her back to us, most of whom fell into step behind Hank, their faces demanding answers.

He looked up at us, scanning our small mob with careful calculation in his eyes. "I know you're angry." He began quietly. "I know you're upset. I'm not too thrilled about it either. But—"

"We're not stupid, Jay!" someone shouted. "We're being sent to our deaths!"

Jay's eyes flickered to the perpetrator, shooting him a sharp glare. "Don't you think I know that?" he growled, his voice slowly getting louder as he became frustrated. "Don't you think I would do anything to spare my brother this? There's nothing to do! Nothing to do but sit around and wait for whatever's out there to come and get us here! You have families to think about to, do you not? Younger siblings, nieces, nephews? Will we let them breach our home and slaughter them?!"

He paused a moment, and no one, not even the impassioned Hank, dared refute the fury carved into the contours of his face.

"No. We will not." He promised to no one in particular, letting go of Shadow and walking forward. "We will fight, and we will prevail, as we always have. We may be no more than children, but we will prevail. We will come home after this time of need as victors, back to our families and those we love. But if we waste our time arguing and do not stand as a united front, we _will_ be destroyed, I promise you that. Now stop complaining and pack your damn things, we leave at sunrise, and if I hear another word about it I'll kick their ass to kingdom come quicker than they can open their sorry little mouth to apologize."

Shooting the dumbstruck crowd of teenagers a charming smile, he took Shadow's hand, leading her past us and into a room, where he promptly slammed the door shut.

As soon as he was gone, a frustrated murmur rose from the masses, no one wanting to risk being the noise that drew Jay back out from his room. I politely pushed past them to try to get to the stairs without being noticed, but the boy with the shaggy hair from before stopped me before I could.

"You're with Hoan's son, aren't you?" He asked with fury in his eyes, taking a step closer, and suddenly I was quite aware that he stood almost a head taller than I.

He was thin, though. And lanky. Not a bit of meat on his bones. But so far I hadn't seen a Sheikah that did.

I could take him. Easily.

"I am." I said, daring him to make a spectacle and try to attack me. A part of me _wanted _him to. There had been a certain bloodlust inside me for a long while now, aching to be set free. "What about it?"

He stuck his nose up, as if he smelled something particularly unpleasant. "I just thought you might want to tell him we're leaving tomorrow, so he knows he has a nice little escort back to Hyrule to save that pretty little high and mighty arse of his before he ditches us. Pass that on, will you, and tell him Fo—"

Eli appeared out of nowhere with Leila at his side, subtly nudging his way in between him and I, watching my face carefully. "Knock it off, Fortis." He rolled his eyes, and Leila let out a little laugh. "Leave the poor guy alone."

"You're siding with _him_?!" Fortis demanded.

"I'm not siding with anyone!" snapped Eli in an equally vehement tone, putting a hand on his chest. "You're being unreasonable! He's done nothing wrong!"

Fortis looked him up and down once, sizing him up, then scoffed. "You're lucky you're Jay's doormat, otherwise you wouldn't have gotten off so easy." He pushed past Eli, making a point to shove him with his shoulder before ramming into me.

I stumbled backward into Leila, who caught me and held me back just before I could throw a punch. For a girl, and a small one at that, she was surprisingly strong. "It's not worth it." She said lightly, waiting until Fortis had slammed the door to his room shut before releasing me.

"I could have taught him a lesson or two." I disagreed, clenching my hand into a fist. "Pummeling in his sorry little face would have given me a bit of enjoyment. Maybe he'll think twice about shooting his mouth of next time, too."

_Calm yourself. Bide your time._

"Down, boy." laughed Leila as I unclenched my hand, taking a deep breath, starting towards the slope to the landing. "We've got to be ready by sunup, and I'd like a nice night of sleep before making that trek to Hyrule. You can come and help me pack, if you want."

_Act as though nothing is wrong. Gain their trust._

"Sure," I said, nodding once and shooting her a smile.

"I'll go, too." Eli said. "No doubt Jay'll be looking for me in ten minutes, and I can't think of anywhere better to hide."

"Is widdle Elijah afwaid of his big bwudder?" Leila teased, reaching up to muss his dark brown locks, then ran ahead of me and up to her room before he could retaliate.

"I swear to God, if you call me Elijah again, I'll—"

"Jay's your brother?" I interjected, beginning to follow her.

He rolled his eyes, keeping pace with my strides. "Unfortunately. He also happens to be Hoan's second hand, so you can guess how fun that is."

He led the way inside her room, which had a small wooden necklace carved above it, a Triforce the only charm.

Inside was remarkably similar to mine, with the exception of the several books lining her shelf, the clothes in the dresser, and the pictographs that littered every available surface. There was one on her dresser with her and what I supposed were her sisters, her twin grinning identically at her side and a girl smiling serenely behind her, who looked vaguely familiar—

"Dammit." Leila growled, coming out of the door that led to her bathroom with an empty bag, rather abruptly scaring me out of my thought process. "I can't find my puffy little sponge thing!" She gestured with her hands erratically, trying to convey what she was thinking of.

"You mean a loofah?" supplied Eli helpfully with a grin on his face, sitting down on the chair in the corner.

"No!" she snapped, slamming herself down on her knees to look under her bed. "That's the stupidest word I've ever heard! I _mean_ my puffy little sponge thing!"

"Is she like this all the time?" I whispered conspicuously, causing Eli to chuckle and Leila to shoot me an annoyed look.

"Why don't you _help_ instead of making stupid comments?" she said.

Before I could though, none other than Kassia wandered in through the door. "Nox?" she said, peering inside, her face turning red as she realized I was there. "Sorry," she apologized quickly. "I thought I heard your voice, and you weren't in the room, so I thought—"

_Make friends. _

I waved her off, smiling and wrapping an arm around her, pulling her close. "Eli, Leila, this is Kassia. My…fiancée."

Eli waggled his eyebrows suggestively, causing Kassia to blush deeper and me to roll my eyes, where Leila looked up from her frantic searching, turning on her.

"You're a girl, right?" she demanded rhetorically. "You know those puffy sponge things that you use when you bathe? What are those called? I'm missing mine!"

"Those puffball things? I know what you're talking about." Said Kassia, cocking her head to the side.

Eli smiled, reaching down to grab Leila's shoulders in a similar way that I was Kassia. "Yes, those puffy puffball sponge things. Because those don't happen to be called loofahs, do they?"

Leila rolled her eyes, shoving him off her and smirking when he hit the floor with a thud. "Just find me a new damn puffy sponge thing…_Elijah_."

Before Eli could maim or otherwise bodily harm her, Kassia interrupted, looking behind the closed door and taking a remarkably white, puffy, sponge-like thing off the doorknob, holding it up for display. "Is this what you're looking for?" she asked, tossing it to Leila, who nodded. "_Oh_. You meant a loofah?"

Eli and I burst out laughing, and even Leila couldn't help but join in.

**Happier note, for a change. I had to mix things up a little bit!**

**Yes, I'm well aware loofahs were most definitely not invented back in this time period. Let me have a little fun, okay? It's my way of saying thank you to a friend.**

But hey, Nox is starting to seriously lose it. I'm building it up, guys, I promise. It'll happen. Be patient, trust me. I won't let you down!

**Hope you enjoyed, and be sure to check out the poll on your way out!**

Love you guys! Thank you again!

~Alyssa 


	26. Eighteen

**This is likely going to be posted sometime close to the Holidays, so Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Kwanza! Whatever you celebrate, I hope it's great.**

**In other news, addressing an issue many people have reviewed with: No, not all the characters I've introduced will play a prevalent part in the upcoming chapters, however, a few will. It was only my intention to indicate how many people actually lived in these places, and how many were upset by what was going on, while sliding a few cameos in in the process. **

**So relax. Breathe. Everything will be fine. And on to Castle Town! The action will only pick up from here! **

**Hope you guys enjoy,**

~Alyssa

_**Cum sequeretur adepts lentas, lentas adepto eundo.**_

_** ….**_

_**When the going gets tough, the tough get going. **_

**[As an added note, I have begun to update previous chapters with more interludes, this time little bits that aren't in Nox's point of view. This is primarily to add character development, and as of now are not necessary to read and will not juristically impact the story in any way, since I knew some of you would be grudging to go back and search them out. If you are interested in reading more like this little snibit here, I have gotten as far as chapter seven. I will let you know when I have gotten farther.]**

**ox(O)xo**

"You seem improving, dear."

His soft, cool hand caressed over her forehead, convincing himself that today her cheeks looked a tad less pale, the contours of her face seemed a bit less hollow, the sheen of her hair was growing slightly back to its normal shine.

"I feel so." she lied through her teeth, smiling in addition, though her insides screamed. No, she was not doing better. And she was _not_ his dear. "Just a day or so, perhaps, and I'll be right as rain."

He answered her smile, tucking a stray, white-blonde lock behind her ear. "Marvelous." He paused, looking apologetic. "I'm afraid I must go now, the council is expecting me. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Leaning down to kiss her forehead lightly, he stood up from the bed and smoothed his tunic. "I love you," he said gently, squeezing her hand once.

"And I, you." She said back quickly. After all this time, she didn't even have to think about it anymore. It was habit, automatic as her heart beating or her lungs breathing, but in the worst way possible. The words weren't her own. She was becoming brainwashed.

Despite this, she accepted his second kiss and plastered an attempt at a smile on her face, reassuring his qualms, allowing him to continue in the façade that she was perfectly fine, until he closed the door behind him.

She threw her covers off, sliding as quickly as she could out of bed, picking up the untouched tray full of food at the foot. Handling it as though it was a detonated bomb, she walked to her open window, hardly sparing a glance at the bed of roses four stories down, full of broken glass and ruined by soggy bread and spoiled stew. Getting ready to throw the contents away as she had for the last few weeks, she was stopped short by a voice from the shadows.

"Majesty. You _must_ eat something."

Closing her eyes and exhaling in irritation, she placed the tray carelessly on the windowsill, hoping dearly that it would teeter and fall. "Pardon." She murmured, folding her hands lightly and letting them hang in front of her lap. "I was not aware that suddenly you had any bearing over what I must or must not do."

The owner of the voice revealed herself, her crimson eyes narrowing. "I've been your governess your entire life. You have never treated me with such disrespect before. I refuse to see you wither away like this, Highness. Starving yourself is not the solution!"

"What else am I to do?" Her hands balled into fists as she stormed away from the window, pulling the curtains away from her bed so hard they ripped, collapsing into a pathetic pile at her feet. "It isn't as though I'm stupid enough to poison myself, and I can't just go to Rauru and ask for some potion to get rid of it, can I?

Her charge growled in frustration, taking a different approach. "Think of the people. This will be the fourth one in over a year you have lost. You're only putting off the inevitable."

"I am young." She replied stubbornly, resuming her position in bed and closing her eyes, showing how little she cared for the conversation. "Not twenty-two years past. I have no obligation to provide a successor, not yet. And even if I did not, Lucien has two younger brothers and a nephew to boot. And I a score of cousins on both sides. Let them take the throne for all I care."

"You swore the oaths in your coronation, Highness. It is your duty to Noamas, to _Hyrule_, your home, to bear him a child!"

The queen snapped up, her gaunt, grey eyes shining with fury. "I will _not_!" she shrieked, or tried to. Her voice came in something hardly above a raspy whisper. "I will not allow anything of _him_ to grow inside _me_! Duty or no, can you not see it's killing me?" She began to sob, her head falling into hands. "Let him write me off as barren for all I care! Perhaps then he'll allow me to return to my own chambers and leave me in peace without him calling me into his bed every night in hope for an heir! I can't keep living like this. I cannot, I _will_ not!"

"So you would rather die?" the other woman demanded.

"Better die than continue to live this…this _lie!_ I've given up my entire life for duty, my childhood, my love, my hand, my _innocence_, and now I must give away my happiness as well? And the rest of whatever wreck of a life I'm doomed to live out to raise _his_ child? Soon I will have nothing left to give! I'm only an empty shell of the person I used to be, and he is using that shell, too, so he can have his heir and then leave me to rot!"

She lifted her head up, her cheeks streaming with tears and her eyes begging for her to understand. "I…I cannot keep doing this." She whimpered, partly to the other woman, but partly to her subjects, her husband, the child growing inside her, to everyone in the goddess-damned kingdom who had so many goddess-damned _expectations_ and her goddess-damned _duty _that she could no longer bear the weight of. It was crushing her, and slowly but surely, she was being destroyed.

"I cannot force you to eat," Her charge sighed in defeat, biting her lip in a rare show of emotion. "But know you are not the only one you hurt when you allow yourself to waste away like this."

Her hand wandered to her stomach, where she could feel the faintest burning of life growing…one she was determined to snuff out. "If they were here, they would understand." She tried to assure herself, then turned to the other woman. "It doesn't even know the sound of my voice yet. It's nothing but a collection of cells, it can't think."

"It's a boy." said the other woman with venom in her tone. "And he _can_ hear you. It pains him to feel you ail so, he feels very responsible, and tries to take from you as little as he can. As for his looks, the Royal blood burns strong, he will take after you, both in appearance and spirit; though his eyes are a strange cerulean that belong to neither you, nor Lucien. It seems as though the Goddesses would like him to ease your weary heart. He is a gift, the child is."

She paused, watching the bedridden woman fall apart again, knowing she was crossing every line she had ever drawn. "But I suppose that doesn't matter, now." She said offhandedly, turning on her heel to go back into the shadows. "His light is so feeble I can hardly feel him anymore. A day or so more and you will have succeeded. But that is what you want, is it not?"

She looked over her shoulder, an afterthought occurring to her. "A new group of Sheikah have been dispatched to act under the façade of guards. They will be here in two days time. I believe you will be interested to see who is among them, so I would suggest you make yourself presentable before then."

And she disappeared, leaving the sobbing queen to her bed.

_**Then**_

One thing I learned about the Sheikah: when they said sunup, they meant sunup.

Jay, with an exhausted Eli at his side, had roused us at the crack of dawn, banging on everyone's doors and cheerfully promising death threats to those who were reluctant to leave their beds. As I quickly rose, he handed me a bag full to the brim with food and two neatly corked bottles of red potion for the three day journey to Hyrule on horseback.

Dragging a heavy-lidded Kassia by the hand with the rest of the drowsy teenagers towards the stables, I found Wolfe already there quietly talking with Archer, the former standing by the mare we had ridden here on, the latter in the process of saddling up a very ferocious looking gray stallion.

"Morning." I greeted cheerfully, opening the stall beside Wolfe's and quickly mimicking them, fastening our bags to the saddle of the roan Kassia had begun to affectionately call Beast.

"Glad to see you're doing better." noted Archer, a brow raising at my nonchalant demeanor.

"It's amazing what a good night's sleep can do to you." I threw back easily, smiling in an attempt to play off the concerned glance Kassia shot me.

Damn him for making her suspicious. It would take the next three hours to convince her I was okay.

"Good?" Wolfe moaned, leaning on his horse for support, abruptly breaking any tension between us. "I've had better sleep on the floor of the damn forest!"

I laughed along with the rest of them, but it was more out of relief that I was out of the spotlight rather than humor, tightening the belt of the saddle and patting Beast thankfully for behaving.

"Can you get up first?" Kassia yawned, tucking a wisp of hair that fell out of the tight knot on the top of her head behind her ear and refusing the hand I offered to help her up. "If I ride in the front, I'll fall off before we're off the mountains, let alone before we hit the border."

"No problem." I said, hoisting myself onto the saddle and helping her do the same, easing Beast out of the stall and immediately beginning to follow a dozing Leila atop her bay mare, only a few years old by the look of it.

"Good morning." She said half-heartedly, waving once at the already half asleep Kassia, her head resting on my shoulder.

"Hey," I smiled, pulling back on the reigns, trying to get Beast to move a bit slower as to not disturb my passenger. "Where's Eli?"

She rolled her eyes dramatically. "Probably still with Jay. Last time I saw the two of them were pounding down Hank's door."

Ah, yes. Hank. After his mother died in childbirth and his father went off to battle a year or so ago, as Eli told me the previous night, he was the only family left for his sister, Synea.

And now he would be ripped from her, too.

A part of me took pleasure in the small fact that I wasn't alone, that others would have their own lives torn apart just as violently as mine was, but the other roughly pushed it aside. The girl was only twelve years old. I wasn't heartless.

"He's still set on not going?"

She grimaced, her eyebrows falling down at the edges in sympathy. "No," Her eyes fell downcast as she sighed. "But there's no way to avoid it. If he doesn't, it'll be considered treason. And, you know, there's only one way most places deal with treason. It's not hard to guess."

And my gaze was abruptly on the ground, effectively ending our conversation.

No. It wasn't.

Eli appeared a few minutes later on his own black stallion, his lids as droopy as the rest of ours. "'Lo," he greeted us, letting loose a yawn that stretched his face to its breaking point. "Nice morning, isn't it?"

We carried short conversation throughout our day of travel. Neither Eli nor Leila had ever gone out of a mile radius of the caverns, and were terribly interested with what the outside world was like.

Much to my dismay, that night around the campfire, I was coerced by Kassia into telling her "…the story that you told me, when you first arrived! Oh, Nox, it was magical!"

"Well," I began, finally giving in to the incessant teasing of the rest, "long ago, in a magical place called Kokiri wood, there was a boy without a fairy. His name was Link…"

So I sat with their attention, retelling the story of my life (though no one knew it), watching as I eased all their worries of the days to come, watching their eyes flutter shut as one by one, they fell asleep. By the time it came to the final battle, everyone but Hank and Eli were asleep.

"And as he pulled the hilt of his sword out of the finished beast, a rush of triumph washed over him. However, he was not able to celebrate for long. As soon as the adrenaline left his body, he fell to his knees, all the pains in his body colliding with the force of a megaton hammer. He was dying, he realized, but at least he had done his duty before doing so.

'Link!' he heard his princess cry, and Zelda rushed to his side, shaking him roughly. 'Link! Stay with me! Please!'

Link did not have the courage to tell her that he had minutes left, that he could feel death's breath upon his neck, but there were things he had to tell her before he was gone. 'Zelda,' he whispered, tenderly grabbing her face in his hands. 'I…I love you. I'm sorry…'

'Goddess _dammit_!' the Princess shrieked, beginning to tear through his things, 'I won't let you die! I can still save you!'

But Link did not want to be saved. He was tired. He was as happy as he had ever been. Everything was alright, and he could die content in that fact.

But Zelda would not give him even this.

Taking the ocarina from her hands, she began to blow a ballad, a lulling melody that drew his eyes closed.

He was confused, at first, but too tired to care. The darkness was beginning to take him, and the music along with it. How fitting, to hear the music of the temple of time just before his time was up—

Time?

The Song of Time!

"Zelda!" His eyes flew open as he fruitlessly tried to grab the instrument from her hands. "What are you doing?"

"I'm sending you home," she whispered, blinking away the tears that fell from her cheeks. "Where you're supposed to be…the way you're supposed to be…without me."

"Zelda, please! Don't do this!" the Hero begged, but it was too late. A blue wind began to swirl around him, and the world began to shimmer and blur, taking her away from him…

"I'm sorry, Link." He heard over the roar.

"…Goodbye."

Her last words to me fell from my lips, and I bit back tears as two eyes waited patiently for me to continue.

But what was there left to tell?

"…That's all." I said after a deep breath, ignoring the disappointment on their faces, kicking dead leaves onto the dying fire, watching it sputter and die. "The end."

And in a way, it was.

**ox(O)xo**

We made it to Castle Town early two mornings after, and for the first time in over a decade, I walked through the gate.

It was like nothing had changed.

The giant, circular fountain was still set in the middle, all the shops and things surrounding it. Children chased each other back and forth, others tormenting the cucoos that clucked about. Merchants shouted out their wares, and people in groups of twos or threes lingered, adding to the din of merriness. In the corner, by the mask shop, I even spotted a familiar head of red hair with a basket of bottled milk, smiling while chitchatting with a friend.

There was no time to dawdle, according to Jay, so we rode up to the palace with our horses, the guards opening the gates—it was the first time I had ever been granted access to the palace without sneaking in—and wishing us well.

As we drew closer to the castle, my stomach began to churn. How long would it be before I ran into her? Or more terribly, if _Kassia _ran into her?

Or even worse, what if we _both_ ran into her, at the _same time_?

Din, I'm an idiot.

Our horses were taken from us, and we were led up the grand staircase and down several hallways, ending up in a large, nearly empty room I assumed was in the barracks. With the instructions to wait until our 'tutor' arrived, I sat against the wall sandwiched between Wolfe and Archer, who were bantering back and forth.

Suddenly, the door flew open, and a woman with silver white hair bound back in a ponytail entered the room, her presence alone enough to make all of us fall silent.

Impa.

Coldness filled the room as she entered, and the hair on my neck stood up on end, but not because of that.

What if she recognized me? What if she remembered me?

Her sharp, piercing eyes flickered over the group of us, her lips pulled taut in a disapproving grimace. "Welcome to Hyrule Castle." She murmured, and her voice was just as I remembered, low but not extremely so, feminine yet dangerous enough that it promised death to anyone who stepped a toe out of line.

"I assume you have not been filled in of your duty here. We have had a shortage, to say the least, of guards around the castle. With the Queen in her condition, we can afford no breaches in security."

The Queen in her condition?

What did she mean?

"You will be trained, and I will choose the best among you to serve as the King and Queen's personal attendants. Although I have served this job for many years, I regretfully cannot be every place at once, and you will be of great help to me. Your job is simple, to protect and blend in. Not everyone in the castle is familiar with our kind, and for our purposes you are all just normal Hylian children that have been drafted, do you understand me?"

They all nodded their assent, but I was still silently pondering her words. Was something wrong with Zelda?

"Now, before we begin, who is the leader among you?' she asked, looking expectantly towards Archer, who must look a bit more like Hoan then I realized.

Archer's ears began to redden under her attention and the annoyed glances of the other Sheikah.

Jay stepped forward, inclining his head respectfully. When her eyes did not turn to him, he cleared his throat out quietly. "Jayson Mead," he said eloquently, as if he had practiced for this moment a thousand times.

"Mead," repeated Impa thoughtfully, seeming to forget about the rest of us for a moment. "Your father was the Hylian, correct?"

He flushed, and Eli stiffened beside me. "Yes, ma'am," he said, sounding a hundred times less versed.

"I was very good friends with your mother. Taught her myself. She had a good head on her shoulders, Aral did. That is, until she met that father of yours." She paused, her head tilting slightly to the side as she watched Jay's teeth clench and his eyes fill with anger.

Only a minute with him and she already knew everything he was, knew where he drew his lines, knew exactly how to make him snap.

Watching her tear him apart made me fear her more than ever before.

"It's a good thing she passed her line down to her children before she was killed, so I can't call her completely useless." She noted offhandedly.

At this, Jay's head snapped up, fire burning in his eyes. "Don't you _dare_ talk about my—"

"Lesson number one," Impa said loudly over Jay's protests, addressing all of us again. "Never let the enemy inside your head. When taking this new duty, your life won't be the only one at stake anymore. You must protect each other, and most importantly, the Queen and her family, and a guard is only as strong as its weakest link."

She turned to Jay, patting him once on the shoulder. "We shall have to work on that, won't we, Mr. Mead?"

And thus, began my stay at the palace.

**I feel like I can tell this story better with those little sections that aren't in Nox's point of view. Like it? Don't? Let me know. What you guys tell me is what will decide whether they leave or stay. If you don't want to review, I have a poll set up on my profile. **

**I'm dreading telling you guys this, but you've probably already noticed: this chapter took almost twice the normal length to get out. I seriously feel terrible, and I feel even worse when I have to say this: this will probably become the norm. Ahh, I'm so sorry. There's been a lot of things going on at school, and especially at home that have not been leaving me in the best frame of mind to write. Don't worry, no, I will **_**never **_**abandon this, but updates might come shorter than usual. Thank you for understanding, and if not, you can private message me. I've got plenty of explanations if you don't feel this one suitable enough.**

**I love you guys! See you next update!**

**~Alyssa**


	27. An Interlude 9

**I am so sorry for the long wait. Next chapter should follow in a few days, it's nearly finished.**

Love you guys (:

~Alyssa

_Sneaking past the last of the guards, I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding, rushing through a large arch into the light of an outdoor courtyard before I was back in the rotation's sight. _

_It was a rather pretty place, with a small river of water gurgling merrily around the perimeter. The grass swayed in the gentle wind, small daises and posies dotting the ground, several butterflies flittering to and from their colorful blossoms. _

_And standing in front of a small, square window, a little girl. _

_She stood at the opposite edge of the courtyard with her back to me, so concentrated on whatever was going on beyond the window that she didn't even notice that I was slowly treading over to where she was._

_Timidly reaching out, as to not scare her, I gently sat my hand on her shoulder._

_Not unexpectedly, she jumped half a mile, letting out a little squeak of surprise. _

"_Who are you and how did you get in here?!" she demanded after a moment, her voice dark and threatening._

_I froze, but did not pull away or answer her, which turned out to be a bad idea, because a second later she had whirled around and punched me square in the cheek._

_I cried out in astonishment, stumbling backwards and falling on my bottom in the grass, confounded at the fear and hatred in her eyes—they were a dark, sapphire blue...and though I wouldn't have admitted it then, I found them quite pretty, even with the loathing that burned inside them. _

"_My name is Link! I—I snuck in through the gardens!" I said quickly, lifting my hands over my face as she stepped threateningly forward, her fists up and ready. On any other occasion, it would have been comical—a nine year old girl with a stance like a prize fighter about to pummel his opponent—but I was taking her seriously. Sure, she was just a little girl, but I was just a little boy._

_That, and she seriously hit __**hard**__; those rings on her hands weren't just for decoration. _

"_Why did you come here?" she demanded._

"_The Great Deku Tree is dead!" I looked up, trying as hard as I could to show the pleading in my face. "Please, he sent me here to help you, I won't hurt you, I promise!" _

_For a brief second, she said nothing, her brows furrowing in confusion as she looked me up and down. What she was hoping to see, I wasn't sure, but whatever it was, I suppose I was it. Her hands flew to her mouth, anger sliding off her face immediately. "I'm so sorry!" she gasped, rushing forward. "I—I thought you were someone else, I've been so frightened lately and—oh, Nayru, your cheek is swelling up!" _

_She offered me a hand, and I took it, hoisting myself up. "That's not important right now," I said quickly, dusting off the back of my tunic._

_She nodded once, immediately calming herself down. "You're right." She agreed, turning slightly and sparing a glance at the window again. "Come with me." _

_She led me forward with a finger at her lips, creeping back up to the window with me at her side._

_The window led to the castle throne room, King Daphnes sitting on his very official, very __**gigantic**__ chair, looking quite bored as a man with dark skin knelt at his feet. He risked a glance upward, his eyes full of malice and destruction. _

_I shuddered at the very idea of what he was capable of. _

"_Do you see that man…the one with the evil eyes?" she whispered, nodding her head towards him. I nodded, not daring to take my gaze from him. _

"_His name is Ganondorf. He's the Prince of the Gerudo tribe of the desert. He…well, as far as I know, he wants to kill my father and myself and take the Hylian throne for himself."_

_I was taken aback at the bluntness, the acceptance in her voice. She didn't even seem afraid. _

"_He was the one who put that dreadful curse on the Deku Tree." She continued. "To take the throne, he must get to the Sacred Realm, and to get there, he needs a very special artifact of the Royal Family…and three Spiritual Stones, one guarded by each of the other three prominent races of Hyrule; the Gorons, the Zora, and of course, the Kokiri. The Deku Tree had one…and it seems as though you have that very same one with you right now."_

_My eyes widened as a grabbed my pouch protectively. She smiled at my response._

"_It's all well and good that you do, don't you worry. It means we're already ahead of that monster." She said. "We need to get the other two stones before he does. And that's why I need you."_

"_Me?" I squeaked, taking an automatic step back from the window. "Why me?" _

"_I cannot leave the castle on my own conquest." She rolled her eyes, as this was the most obvious thing in the world. "I'll be missed. My father will tear the kingdom apart trying to find me, and that would be anything __**but **__productive. I need someone I can trust…someone brave and willing, to help me."_

"_But why do you trust __**me**__?"_

_She paused, considering her answer before replying. "You must understand, for as long as history was recorded, a select few of the Royal family have been…__**blessed**__, I suppose is the word, with the gift of foresight. The Goddesses themselves sent me a dream, a dream where I saw a boy clothed in green from the forest. I've been waiting for you since then, waiting for you to save the kingdom from the clutches of that terrible man…that is, if you're willing."_

_She looked at me with such pleading in her face that there was only one answer. Those beautiful sapphire eyes ensnared me, taking hold on my heart in ways I didn't know possible. _

_I had loved before then, yes. I loved the forest that had been my home all my life, with the sereneness and peace of mind that could only be achieved in the deepest part of the Lost Woods. I loved Saria, my one true friend. I loved the Great Deku Tree, the one person I looked to for guidance, for help, for comfort. _

_But the Princess…_

_In that moment, I felt something for her that I had never felt before, a warm feeling rising in my chest and butterflies filling my stomach. In that moment, looking into those perfect eyes, she could have asked anything of me, could have ordered me to the edge of the earth and back again and I would have without a second thought if it meant I could see those eyes again. _

_Why did I feel this way? What had she done to me? _

"_Of course I'll help you, Princess…er, Princess…" I stuttered, unsure of her name. _

"_Oh, do pardon me," she said as she realized my problem, extending her hand. "My name is Zelda. Zelda Emmelina Harkinian Nohanestine, Princess of Hyrule…and most pleased to make your acquaintance, Sir Green Hero." She added as an afterthought. _

_I bowed as deep as I could, drawing all my knowledge from every storybook I had read in my childhood as I took her hand and brought it to my lips, where I bestowed upon it the gentlest of kisses, my ears burning._

"I'm no Hero," I said honestly as I straightened, grinning at the faint blush on her cheeks. "Just Link."

_She returned my smile, starting down from the elevated platform that led to the window and out the way that I came, looking expectantly over her shoulder. "Well, just Link." She said, "There's the manner of getting you properly suited up for the journey ahead of you. You'll have to go to Goron City next, and I doubt that wooden shield of yours will hold up in a volcano. I'll have Impa find you something more suitable." _

"_Wait! Before I go…" I followed quickly at her feet, not even bothering to try and conceal the jealousy and pleading in my voice as I asked of the favor. _

"_Do you think you could teach me to punch like that?" _

**So I wrote the bulk of this chapter in bed sick with a nice case of pneumonia. If there's blatantly obvious mistakes or it doesn't make any since, I profusely apologize.**

I need some aspirin. 

**~Alyssa**


	28. Nineteen

**Looking back at the previous chapter's parting note, I was warning you that since I was sick, the chapter might not make any "since", as I put, rather than sense. Immediately, my palm collided with my forehead as I realized the irony and began laughing my sick, sorry behind off. I would have fixed it, but it was just too funny to change back. **

**In other news, I was informed by one of my good friends here on fanfiction that Acheronta Movebo is currently on page 5 out of about 21,300 for the most reviewed Zelda fic, ranking in the top 100. Holy moley, that's freaking amazing. I went to check the list myself, and was happy to see some familiar faces there. ZeldaRubix (who, although I'm not sure reads this story anymore, but was once a consistent reviewer) holds the number one spot, which delighted me to no end, as well as LeilaEditor, who is currently number 22 with her fic, "Reality". I consider them both semi-almost-there-friends in that comradeship fanfiction author type way, (okay, that sounded really weird) but seeing their names made me feel pretty proud for them. This probably means nothing to the two of you, but hey, I can be excited enough for the three of us. **

**As for the revisions, I've made it to Chapter 15 as of this uploading. If you've got the time, check it out, I've done much more character development, for Wolfe especially. **

**Hope you enjoy the chapter! **

**~Alyssa **

_**The best gift that the mind has given us is the ability to forget. **_

…_**.**_

_**In mentem nobis datum est posse oblivisci.**_

_**Then**_

In the dream, everything was dark.

But it wasn't the right kind. Not the comforting, content dark that you let lull you to sleep each night, the kind that warm summer evenings and the gentle embrace of unconsciousness are made of.

No.

This dark was dangerous and cold, the kind that makes the hair of your neck stand on end, full of fear and the unknown.

Even so, I pushed onward into the expanse of nothing, holding my arms cautiously out in front of my face to feel for any clue as to my bearings, though I knew from night after sleepless night that there was none.

"_Link…"_

Right on cue, the whisper caressed my ears, a smooth, malicious tenor that has become all too familiar for me. Despite the fact I knew it was coming, I jumped a mile out of my skin, my head whipping around in search of the owner.

"My name is not Link," I tried to say, but the sound choked in my throat as another cold gust of wind blew across my face.

"_Link…"_

And suddenly, a perfect half crescent smile, slicing blindingly white through the thick darkness, beckoning me forward.

"_Llew gnio derau oy." _it whispered, though its mouth did not move. "_Egn everru oyte glliw uoy."_

And then the smile began to float backwards, a small sliver of light forming around it.

I froze in my tracks. This had never happened before.

I always woke up before this.

The light revealed a large silver circle around the smile, and though every instinct in my body screamed otherwise, I walked towards it, curiosity getting the best of me.

As I drew closer, the circle expanded, silver vines and ivy curling around it in ornate curves, shaping what looked like a mirror.

A mirror with a smile.

And at the base, engraved into the silver frame, was a single word in perfect cursive print.

_Post._

"_Kees uoy tah werut ufeh tsi?"_ it asked, pulling me forward with its words, though I couldn't understand. "_Uoy ple hnaci."_

And suddenly she was there, in the mirror, a look of absolute terror on her face.

Her hair was tangled and matted with blood, bruises and tears and gore ruining her face. An eye was blackened and her lip split, though they were hard to see with her hands protectively covering her face. She pressed against a wall with nowhere else to go, cowering against whoever pursued her.

I had never seen her that broken, that afraid.

But the twisted, ruined piece of my mind rejoiced at the sight, seeing her submission, her defeat.

My revenge.

"_Please!"_ she begged as a sword was pressed against her chest, beginning to sob. "_Please!"  
_

"_Egn everru oyte glliw uoy." _The voice whispered.

"I will get my revenge." I murmured in answer, reaching up and touching the cool glass of the mirror, my eyes locked on the image.

The blade slid through her as easily as if she were butter.

**xxxx**

It was a glass of cold water that finally shocked me awake, the last resort for a grinning Eli who didn't want me being late. Wolfe hovered at his side, though Archer lagged behind, still climbing into a pair of tan breeches.

"Good morning, sunshine." He half-sang, acting oblivious to anything wrong as he tossed me my clothes. "It's ten of. You've got five minutes before we're do at breakfast, so I suggest you hurry before all the good gruel gets taken."

Over the last few weeks of our stay at the castle, my oversleeping had become a routine. The same dream haunted me every single night, of the darkness and the smile and the pain, and nothing less than a good kick to the ribs could rouse me, and even that sometimes didn't work, forcing Eli, Archer, and Wolfe, my daily alarm clocks, to get creative.

Hence the ice water that was currently dripping down my back and seeping into my sheets.

Not that I wasn't grateful.

I drew a hand up, wiping the water from my forehead and combing my damp hair back in one swift motion, ignoring the concerned looks I was getting from Archer. I couldn't have been yelling in my sleep, could I? "Right…five minutes. You guys can go on ahead, save me a seat, will you?"

All three of them, to an extent, knew about my recurring nightmare. Though I was careful to be vague on the finer, more disturbing parts, I was sure all of them, Archer especially, knew they were more than a bit worse than I made them out to be.

"You two go." Wolfe said, leaning against the top bunk as he I tried to untangle myself from my soaked blankets. "Someone's got to make sure he gets to the dining hall in one piece."

Archer rolled his eyes, tugging on his second boot before throwing his pajamas onto the bunk over mine, which he nostalgically chose to occupy. "Fine by me. Kynleigh's expecting me, and—"

"Gag me," Eli groaned at the mention of Archer's newest girlfriend, the blind girl we had met upon our arrival to the caverns. It had been a month, nearly a record, and they were still going strong, in a very public, googly-eyed cutesy way, much to the dismay of everyone else. Even so, he followed Archer out the door to the barracks, throwing Wolfe and I a grin as he left.

"You doing okay?" Wolfe's brow furrowed with concern as I pulled my rumpled sheets taut over my bed, grumbling under my breath at the blotchy water stain on the stained yellow fabric that made it look all too like I had wet the bed.

The others would sure get a kick out of that.

"It wasn't any worse than any of the other times," I lied.

Judging from the look on his face, he easily saw through my fib. "Today was the hardest we've ever had to try to get you up." He reported, his face grim. "You were clutching your head and yelling, all the others think you're insane."

I sighed, pulling my shirt over my head and fastening the belt, rolling my eyes as I gestured to the water stain. "Great. Now I'm a bed wetter _and _crazy to boot."

Despite my effort to defuse the situation, he didn't laugh, instead staring intently at me with worry. "It's not good to bottle things up." He said simply, standing up and going to the door, gesturing me through. "We all know you're lying. You can talk to us, you know."

"I know," I replied, even though I couldn't.

The walk to the mess hall and the majority of breakfast—which today, surprisingly enough, was comprised of the regular, flavorless gruel they called oatmeal with the addition of a link of sausage for the each of us, something that any other time would have indicated the beginning of a good day, but did nothing for me today—was spent in silence, all the boys in my barrack shying away from me as though I had some sort of contagious disease.

"What's with everyone else?" asked Leila as I handed over my sausage to Hank, moodily stirring my oatmeal around my bowl.

"Nox has been branded as the resident nutcase." said Eli smartly around a mouth full of food, patting my hand twice. "But don't worry, buddy, we don't think you're crazy."

"Speak for yourself," Wolfe said as he eyed the glistening, greasy sausage that Hank was about to devour. "He just gave up the first sausage we've had since Noamas. He's obviously delusional."

And as Leila started to choke on her drink, spitting half of it across the table and spraying a disgruntled Eli, even I couldn't help but laugh.

After breakfast, as we did every morning, we padded ourselves up in some old, dilapidated plates that hadn't been used in several decades, as the fading blue and gold Hylian crest in the front attested to. The plates were ruined armor, dented and rusty, taking any stealth or mobility and sending it straight to Hell. And the drills and sprints we ran around the courtyards of the palace were just that for someone like me, who relied on their agility and speed to outmatch their opponents.

Most days, I lagged behind the majority of the group, huffing and making a general fool of myself, but today, I had steam to burn off. Today, it seemed too easy to surge to the point, leaving behind the rest as we did our morning jog around the perimeter of the castle.

After we were finished with this, we were led back into the palace and allowed to shed our heavy armor in favor of the silent suits that the Sheikah favored. Somehow, Eli had been able to secure Wolfe and I suits before we left the caverns, so we never stood out too much—although on the first afternoon of our training Wolfe had accidentally put his on backwards, much to the amusement of the others.

We stood in the grand hall as Impa began to pass out the maps, her sharp, drawling voice echoing in the biggest room of the castle.

"Your goal today is a particular courtyard outside the throne room." She said. "It's been marked on your map."

This was the staple of our afternoon training: learning the labyrinth of passageways that wound their way, hidden, through the drafty walls. Once a day, she would give us an objective, sometimes the library, or the barracks, or the nursery wing (why she was insistent on us memorizing the way there, I didn't know; the last child born to the Royal family was _her_, and that was twenty years ago) and giving us a few minutes to plan out a route. Then, taking our maps, we would have to find our way there.

The first team to make it to where she directed would get some kind of reward; a bit of brown sugar to put in their gruel, an extra roll with the treat of a pat of butter at dinner, being excused early to catch up on their sleep. They were worthwhile rewards, and if I was right, this one would be a piece of cake to take.

My eyebrows shot up when my suspicions were confirmed; yes, it was _the_ courtyard.

It was, naturally, where I had met her for the first time.

The first place I ever saw her eyes.

The first place I realized there was a person I cared about more than myself.

The first place I fell in love.

But then, it was also the first place that I realized I hated her.

'_Dammit_,_ Nox, get it together,' _a part of my brain snapped when I felt the tears sting in my eyes, _'How long has it been?_'

'_Not long enough.' _The other half replied.

Sensing my distress, Wolfe sidled his way over, trying very hard not to draw the attention of Impa. "Want to pair up?" He asked, though his eyes asked a different question.

"Sure." I said as I handed my map over to Impa, not even bothering to look at it. My face twisted as I recalled the place. How many times had I snuck in as a child just to see her, just to hear her voice and laugh and—

Always knowing just what to do, Wolfe smacked me hard in the back of the head. "What's gotten into you?!" he hissed, his concern showing through despite his best efforts.

I shook my head once, taking a deep breath to steady myself. "Just sore," I lied, pretending to stretch out my arm. "And I didn't get a very good night's sleep. I'm fine. Really." I added, because he didn't look convinced.

Though his wary eyes never left my face, there was no way he could refute my foolproof acting.

It was the one thing I was good at, after all these years, after all.

"Is everyone ready?" The voice of Impa affectively stopped any argument on Wolfe's part. "You have exactly one hour to get to your destination. I will wait for you there."

And in a flash of smoke, she vanished.

All the groups quickly dispersed, running up the giant steps or climbing behind tapestries. I waited until they were all gone before grabbing Wolfe by the arm and running back outside.

"What are you doing?!" he cried as I pulled him across the drawbridge, waving to the guard on duty. "The courtyard is _that_ way!"

"Just trust me." I rolled my eyes, continuing to drag him down the path to the gardens, following the moat until we were out of the sight of the guards.

Just as I had hoped, several crates of supplies for the kitchen were lined up, ready for us to use.

"Push this one over." I ordered as I grabbed another, tugging it into place. Surprisingly, he obeyed me without question, pushing a box of vegetables on top of the milk, and suddenly we had a perfect set of stairs.

"Watch me."

Climbing on top of the boxes and praying that I would still fit in the grate, I jumped, grabbing the opening in the wall by the tips of my fingers. Though it was slippery, I managed to keep my grip and pull myself in. It was a tight fit, but I was able to wriggle my way inside the wall.

A few moments later, and Wolfe was there beside me.

"I hate you," he grumbled as he squeezed the water out of his shirt. "You'd better know what you're doing."

No one patrolled these gardens any longer, it seemed, so from there it was only too easy to follow the familiar path to our objective.

I walked proudly through the giant archway with a disgruntled Wolfe at my side, a smug grin on my face. "I told you so," I smirked, my eyes scanning the small space for Impa, who would congratulate us as we waited for the others.

But the courtyard was empty.

Empty besides the voices that drifted out the window from the throne room, that is.

Gesturing for Wolfe to be quiet, I tiptoed through the grass, crouching as low as I could until I was underneath the window, a crack in the stone—probably there exactly for this purpose—was just below it, a perfect place to observe.

"…Please, do, send him in." said the gruff voice of the King, lounging as usual in his gigantic chair. The soldier to his left nodded at the page, who scurried down the long carpet to open the large double doors.

"Announcing his majesty, King Lucien Alexander de Hyrule, King of Noamas." cried the herald, slamming his halberd on the ground twice, and a tall young man draped in finery quickly made his entrance, a grin a mile wide threatening to split his face in two.

He had the dark traits all Noamatians did, with his shoulder length brown hair and rugged, tan skin, though his green eyes were a sign of the royal blood swimming through his veins just as violet was a sign of ours. He was well built, at least six feet tall, with muscles to rival Baxter's, the faintest bit of stubble lining his defined cheekbones.

He had changed much since the last time I'd seen him, but in a way, not at all.

He was still reveling in the things that should have been mine.

"Your majesty!" he said breathlessly as he drew closer, clasping his hands together, sheer joy exuding from his features. "I've just been told the most wonderful news!"

With a glint in his eye, the King sat up straighter in his chair, his graying beard revealing a smile. "What is it, my dear boy?" he asked.

"The Princess," The Prince said, laughter in his tone, and I immediately stiffened, watching with pure loathing as he stepped forward and took the King's hands in his own. "Your majesty," his smile grew even wider as he kissed his signet ring. "We've finally done it."

_Done what?_ My insides screamed, knuckles white from clenching them too hard. _What have you _done_ with her?_

The King's eyebrows rose as he took in this information, taking Lucien by the shoulders and standing him up, disbelief written all over his face. "My daughter…" he murmured, as if it was too good to be true. "The Princess has conceived?"

And suddenly, before I could so much as comprehend what bomb had just dropped, I was ripped away from the window by the scruff of my collar, thrown onto my arse and landing in the grass. My head spun as black spots infiltrated my vision, my body rejecting what I had just heard.

"I believe you've heard quite enough."

A guilty looking Wolfe was standing behind the menacing form that was Impa, her face conflicted. "You made it to the gardens faster than I did." She said quietly, her silver brow furrowing slightly. "How?"

"I…"

"_My daughter…she has conceived?"_ he said.

Conceived.

Just one word.

A verb.

To become pregnant.

_Pregnant._

The world rocked as I pictured it, my Princess in bed with another man, with no barriers between their skin, this loathsome man holding her, _inside _her, stealing her innocence.

The blackness called out to me, beckoning like an old friend.

"I…"

I could see her with child, glowing, radiant, if possible _more_ beautiful than usual, overjoyed with the burden of carrying a new life.

I almost smiled as I imagined it, my head racing forward to the future. Would she name it Daphnes? Would we have another one later, and name her Genevieve? Would we—

No.

Not we.

Her and the Prin—pardon, King, of Noamas.

Not me.

That's whose child was growing inside her.

Not mine.

And suddenly I didn't have a choice, the warm cloak of darkness coming faster than I could resist, the Goddess that was unconsciousness wrapping me in her sure, comforting embrace.

**I need a Beta reader.  
Repeat: I need a Beta reader PLEASE. **

**Not so much for editing, I can do that pretty well myself, but I need someone to bounce ideas off of. Someone equally as crazy as I am. There's some major plotholes that I need filling and they're just there in front of me all gaping and huge and I have no way to stop them up. It's driving me insane.**

Message me if you're interested?

**I have to admit I rushed a bit of this chapter, too. I promised myself I would get it out this weekend and as a result, I don't think it's up to par. Sorry for that. **

**I'll see you guys next update.**

**~Alyssa**


	29. Twenty

**And now, it's time for "excuses why this chapter took so long" starring your favorite guilty author, yours truly. I can't even begin to explain to you how crazy this last month was for me. But you deserve explainations, so I will try. If you don't care and just want to read the chapter, go ahead. I'll be prattling for a while anyway. **

**Most importantly, I was involved in my school's spring musical. This year, we did Oliver!, a play version of the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. That effectively took up 95% of my month of February. In addition to that, we have the fact that during rehearsal I fell and broke my foot, and got bronchitis, and that didn't exactly help my mood to write. Not even going to mention the fact that this chapter was just one of those ones that just didn't work, no matter how many times I rewrote it, which is why it's not only short but ridiculously pointless. Many, many apologies. We SHOULD be returning to normal schedule after this. **

**And oh my goodness, we hit 100 favorites! You guys are the best!**

**Hope you enjoy the chapter!**

**~Alyssa**

**Note: Third person perspective might not make sense if you haven't read the TPP in Chapter 5 (or number 7 on the list) and 7 (or number 10 on the list).**

_**Monstra potius insanire quam scimus vera mundi.**_

…

_**Tempt no man at the brink of madness.**_

**ox(O)xo**

I drifted.

In and out of unconsciousness I went, the blackness numbing my aching heart. It was if a score of thick, heavy blankets had been laid over me; I could not move, I could not feel, I could not _think_…it was a blissful existence, a simple one, free of the terrors that my mind had abruptly rescued me from.

Somewhere far away, the faint noise of a sharp voice burned in my ears. "_Nox!"_ it demanded of me, over and over, like it was expecting a response. _"Nox!"_

My name, I realized after a moment, confounding myself with the realization. I should answer.

But the blackness would not permit this. The blankets were suddenly lead, pushing me down, holding my body firmly taut.

"_He's passed out_." another voice said, presumably to the first voice, this one deeper but none the less panicked. "_Nox, can you hear me? Can you open your eyes?"_

No, I wanted to tell them. I couldn't. Just leave me alone.

"_Take him to the infirmary." _said the first voice,sounding incredibly exasperated. _"I have the rest of you to attend to. Alert me at once if there is any change, do you understand? I would like to speak with him in private."_

A short pause, and then, "_Yes, ma'am."_

And I was left alone with the blackness again.

Minutes.

Hours.

Days.

Time had completely lost its meaning in the sea of the dark; an endless expanse of numb and nothing that had captured my essence. Never had I felt so isolated, so alone.

Every so often I would catch bits of phrases, different voices in different tones, arguing with each other, their diagnoses ranging from exhaustion to anxiety to malaria. The general consensus was clear, however; something was very wrong. "Coma" seemed to be the only thing the voices seemed to agree on.

Though it was an unpleasant word, to say the least, at least there was finally some understanding as to what was wrong with me, even though it gave no details as to _why_ something was wrong.

That was another thing I was waiting for. For someone to explain why I had fallen into a coma in the first place.

The answer was in my memory, of course, it was what had happened just before I'd passed out. But I could not recall anything past leaving the castle with Wolfe; every time I tried to delve deeper, the blackness would take me again, disabling my ability to think.

What was so catastrophic that my own mind was desperate to rescue me from?

It was a question I could not even begin to answer.

**ox(O)xo**

He was still.

_Too_ still.

Painfully, impossibly still.

Wolfe had only seen two corpses in his life, both of which were 'fresh', for lack of a better word, but he could imagine how much his friend resembled one.

Wasn't it unnatural for skin to be this pale, for breathing to be this shallow, to be this _still?_

The doctors were baffled. Technically, there was nothing wrong with him. There was no blood, no sign of either internal or external trauma. He hadn't been magicked. In fact, besides the blatantly fading pallor of his skin and the lack of the writhing and yelling that came along with his nightmares, he could have easily been sleeping.

Just like he had thought Hadlea was sleeping.

He could remember that day like it was yesterday; waking up to the guilty faces of the Glaive, demanding answers but receiving none. Looking over and seeing his sister, pale and still on a pile of blankets. Stumbling over, doubt nagging in his head, and pressing a hand on her chest, just over her heart, where there had always been a stubborn and persistent pounding.

But there had been none.

It was terrifying, Wolfe decided as he sat at Nox's bedside, resisting the urge to reach his hand under his nose to make sure he was still breathing. It made no sense. And it had been eleven days without so much as a twitch of a finger, a feverish mutter.

The doctor's assistant, a pretty girl perhaps two years his senior with fair brown hair, had assured him that he was stable. She came every morning to feed Nox his daily bottle of red potion and to monitor his progress. Or, should he say, lack of.

"There's nothing the matter." She had said to Wolfe as he watched her move through the ropes of her daily check up.

"Then why isn't he waking up?"

"Well," she lowered her voice and looked over her shoulder, making sure they were the only two in the room. "If you ask me, my master is going about this the wrong way. Hearing everything you told me, it seems simple enough to deduce what's going on in here." She tapped twice on Nox's forehead, her voice sympathetic.

"Enlighten me." Wolfe muttered.

She flushed at his sarcastic tone, but did as she was told. "Don't you think it seems odd that this negative reaction occurred just a minute after he heard the news about Her Majesty?"

And he had nodded, curious as to where she was going.

"Do you think…possibly, there was a possibility that they were somehow involved?"

Wolfe had scoffed at this, at first, dismissed her flimsy theory. Let her know right away it was probably only the second or third time in his life that Nox had _seen_ the Queen Zelda. Why would her being with child foster such a reaction?

But now, sitting in front of his friend, his brother, he began to think again.

Almost a year ago, as they entered Casperlight for the first time, hadn't he fallen into that sinking depression for days?

…just after they had heard the news that the Princess was engaged?

And now, this all happened, just after he had heard of her pregnancy?

He could hear the pieces of the puzzle clicking into place in his mind as he thought it through.

Just then, the Doctor's Assistant appeared in the doorway, giving him a shy smile. "Good morning," she greeted him, before turning to Nox, straightening his already perfect bedsheets, feeling his forehead with the back of her hand. "How are you today?" she asked him sweetly, as if he could hear. As if he could answer.

Wolfe cleared his throat once, and she immediately turned to him, an expectant look on her face. "I'm sorry," he said quickly, ears burning. "What was your name, again?"

She smiled again, white-blue eyes sparkling at his interest in her. "Evelyne Clearvine." She said primly. "I'm glad you finally figured out that I was right."

She laughed at his dumbfounded expression, answering the question on the tip of his tongue.

"I could just tell. That you came to my conclusion, I mean. It makes sense, when you think about it. That they have a history. When he wakes up, you'll have to ask him."

Wolfe's gaze went downcast. "_If _he wakes up."

Evelyne's eyes were sympathetic as she spoke again. "It takes long enough for a wound to mend." She sighed as she turned to Nox, stroking his hair back gently. "Who knows how long it could take for a heart?"

**ox(O)xo**

After what seemed like an age, the blackness began to recede.

Slowly, painfully slowly, I could feel my senses return to me.

It was a beautiful thing, to hear the birds chirping, the rustling of sheets, the muttering of several different voices, a few of which terribly familiar. Marvelous, to feel the warmth of sunlight against my cheek. Amazing, to taste the parchedness of my tongue.

A rush of thrill swept through me as I realized I could move my fingers. Granted, they were stiff, rusty from Goddess knows how much time of misuse, but I could _move _them. I had control.

There was just one thing to try.

Hesitantly, as not to harm myself in the process, I willed my eyelids to open, as I had a thousand times before, with no result to speak of.

But this time, miraculously, they did.

A barrage of light attacked my retinas, the beautiful white rescuing me from the darkness.

I groaned in relief, lifting a shaky hand to cover my eyes, trying to rid them of the sudden blindness.

"Nox!"

Shifting uncomfortably in the constricting sheets that surrounded me, I squeezed my eyes shut again, forcing them to adjust to the beautiful light. Arms were suddenly around me, and I welcomed them, reveling in the feeling of flesh on flesh. For the first time in a long time, I was not alone again.

My eyes opened, but my vision was obstructed by a head full of glorious red curls that could only belong to one person.

"Kassia." I sighed, burying my face deeper into her hair, breathing in the scent of her. My arms snaked their way around her waist, pulling her to my chest.

"I was so worried," she sobbed into my neck, tears falling down my bare torso. "We—I thought—I thought that—"

I shushed her gently, rubbing the small of her back soothingly, looking over her shoulder as she continued to cry.

I was in some sort of hospital in the castle, by the look of it. It was a long, narrow room, with several identical beds with tight white sheets lined up against the walls, none of which that were occupied. Light was coming in from the window above my bed, upon which was a vase of wilting wildflowers. And at the foot of my bed, a conflicted expression on his face, was Wolfe.

_"Hey_." He mouthed, flashing me a quick thumbs up and a brief grin before turning away.

Abruptly, Kassia stopped her crying, untangling herself from me and looking up, an excited glint in her puffy eyes. "We've got to go tell everyone!" she gasped, standing up and quickly straightening her skirts. "Oh, Nox, they've all been so worried, you have no idea!"

Go ahead." I smiled, gesturing down to the covers, under which my legs were still tangled. "I'll still be here when you get back."

She leaned down once to bestow a kiss to my nose, then with a murmured "Be good." she was gone, leaving Wolfe and I alone.

As soon as she closed the door behind her, I threw the blankets off, stretching my stiff limbs as far as they could go.

"How long was I out?" I asked, swinging my legs over the bed and standing up, ignoring the way the world spun as they rejected my weight, buckling at the knees. I stumbled backwards, clutching the bedframe for support, chagrin burning in my cheeks.

"Not long." He said quickly, evasively, avoiding my gaze. But I would not have that. It was the simplest question I had, for Din's sake! He would not deny me that, of all things.

"Wolfe." I demanded, trying very hard to hide the pleading in my voice. "_How long?_"

Suddenly becoming very preoccupied with a hangnail on his thumb, he still refused to look me in the eye. "Three weeks." He relented, his breath leaving him in a huff. "There—there was a while when we thought you were going to die. No one could figure out what was wrong with you, or what had triggered it, anything at all. Farore, if the Queen hadn't insisted they keep you in the infirmary with her personal physician, you would've been tossed out on the street and left to the—"

"Hold on," I interrupted him, a sudden pain in the back of my head nearly taking my breath away. I quickly dismissed it, however; there were more pressing issues at hand. "Ze—The Queen knows I'm here?"

If Wolfe found this question odd, he didn't show it, quickly nodding his assent. "Made quite a fuss, too, if what Impa told me was true. With the Summer Solstice coming, she was worried that you wouldn't be fit to compete and—"

Seeing the look on my face, he abruptly stopped himself, falling quickly into silence.

The Summer Solstice.

I had completely forgotten.

It was the entire reason why the Sheikah had been dragged here in the first place: they needed exceptional warriors to protect the monarchy.

Except all the exceptional warriors had been killed protecting the monarchy.

The Solstice was Impa's plan to weed out the best of us; she trained us for months, stripped us to our core, shown us our true, full potential…and then planned to throw us into an arena to fight each other.

And when I had first heard it, I had to admit it was a smart idea, killing two birds with one stone: a tournament to entertain the people on Din's Day, the Solstice, as well as being able to hand pick the best of us to be the personal guardians of the King and Queen. Not to mention the fact that it would be motivation enough for every single one of us besides me to work their absolute hardest. Who wouldn't want to have the honor to be the guardian of the monarchs of the most powerful kingdom in the world? And all you would have to do is win a tournament, besides.

A tournament Zelda seemed to be hell bent on me competing in.

There it was again, an uncomfortable twinge in the back of my mind, the throb of a headache sure to come. And a sinking feeling in my chest, like there was something I was missing.

Had I seen her before I'd passed out? Was it seeing her in person again that triggered such a negative reaction?

Or had she been harmed?

As I thought out the possible scenarios, the throb in my head grew stronger and stronger, a blazing beneath my temples that forced me to lose my train of thought.

Fine, then.

If the answer wasn't in my memory, I'd just have to see her for myself.

Hoisting myself up by the frame of the bed, I let my legs adjust to my weight before I spoke. "How long is it until the tournament?"

Wolfe's brow furrowed at my sudden question. "It's tomorrow. But that doesn't matter—Nox, there's no way in Hell you're competing!"

"Didn't Impa say the first day that this wasn't optional?" I threw back, hurriedly pulling on the boots that were resting against the foot of the bed that could or could not have been mine, nearly losing my balance in the process.

"You've been in a coma for the last three weeks!" he retorted, his voice slowly rising, face growing pink with vexation. "You can barely stand up on your own! There's no way you'll stand a chance in an arena with another person with a sword who is _trying_ to _maim, disarm, and possibly kill you_! This is an anything-goes tournament, Nox, and there's not just the Sheikah competing! If your opponent felt like it, they could just finish the job!"

He stood up and grabbed my shoulder, forcing me to look him in the eye. "Think about what you're doing! You'll get yourself killed!"

"I'll be _fine_." I snarled, surprising myself at the fury in my voice as I shook him off.

"Nox! Listen to yourself!"

"No," I said forcefully, making my way to the door on shaky legs but trying very hard to hide it. "I'm going."

"Are you _insane?!_"

And though I turned around first, slamming the infirmary door behind me and making sure he was out of earshot, I couldn't help the retort that slipped through my lips.

"Maybe."

**So, the next interlude is already written, and I would like to try something.**

**If we get to 400 reviews in the next 24 hours, I'll post the next interlude early. This will push the next actual chapter forward about a week, since that's halfway written, too. I'm trying to make this long wait up to you! I know you guys are out there, let me hear your voices!**

**See you next update!**

~Alyssa


	30. An Interlude 10

**Well, you didn't get 400 in the allotted time, but you got pretty damn close. And since that last chapter was posted way later than I intended it to be, I'm posting this early anyway. **

**Enjoy. Love you guys. **

**~Alyssa**

**PS: Someone sent me an absolutely adorable picture of Nox and Linden the other day. I made it as my profile picture here on Fanfiction if you want to see it. I'm in love. Thank you so much, Emmy! **

"_The Temple of Time." She had said as we parted at Lake Hylia, smiling as she bestowed a kiss on my cheek. "I'll meet you there tomorrow night, okay?" _

_And I had agreed, because traversing across Hyrule Field was so simple I could waste half the day at Lon Lon Ranch with Malon and still have gotten there by suppertime. _

_However, now it seemed as though it might take a bit longer than expected. _

_There was a thunderstorm approaching, lightning cracking through the sky as I hurried through the vast field, for once appreciative of my small stance._

_If the lightning was going to hit anything, it wouldn't be me._

_I was actually feeling quite confident as I ran along the path. Everything this last month had gone as planned. I had explored and defeated the three temples without so much as an appearance from Ganondorf, gotten all three of the stones without problem, and in just a few hours, Hyrule would be safe again. _

_More than confident, now that I think about it. Straight out cocky, more like. There was a part of me that even had the ludicrous idea that the Princess had some sort of crush on me._

_After all, she had promised me a permanent home at the castle for my troubles. She said I could train under a knight, perhaps even one day become a knight myself. She had even picked out my surname for when that day came, as I had no family to honor—Greenhero. It suited me, she said, and after that she would not refer to me as 'Link' anymore, just 'Sir Greenhero'._

_But I couldn't say that I minded._

_In fact, I could rather get used to it. _

_And maybe, one day, I could love her, too. _

_These thoughts all flew from my head, however, when I saw Castle Town in the distance. The warning bells went off faster than I could comprehend what was the matter._

_But then I realized._

_Though it was only midday, the farthest time possible from the terrors that the night brought to the plain, the gate to the drawbridge was locked up tight. The warning torches were lit. Smoke was rising from the castle._

_My ears quickly picked up the screams. _

_It was a loud clap of thunder that shocked me from my reverie, forcing me forward towards the terror of the town, not knowing for sure what I was going to do but knowing I had to do __**something.**_

_The rain began as I drew close, soaking me to the skin and constricting my movements, but still I pushed onward, right until I was just in front of the gate._

_And then the drawbridge began to lower._

_Slowly, painfully, it creaked downwards, hitting the stone in front of me with a sharp clank._

_Suddenly, the sound of hooves cut through the tortured sounds emitting from the town, pounding on the cobblestones. Before I knew it, they were just in front of me. I jumped out of the way just in time to watch the pure white blur of a horse gallop past, only two inches away from crushing me to death. _

_For a split second, this made me angry. But then, as a horrifically familiar voice filled the air, I realized who was on it._

"_LINK!" Zelda screamed as she passed me, the sound of her cry slicing straight through my heart. A thousand scenarios played through my head in an instant: the Terminians were invading. A peasant revolt. A civil war. Why else would my Princess be fleeing with such haste, without so much as a second to stop and explain to me what was going on? "Zelda!" I tried to cry out, but my body would not respond, frozen in fear and shock and confusion. _

_As though she could somehow hear this cry, she whirled around, struggling to see me past Impa, her eyes meeting mine. The message inside them was clear._

_Run._

_I wanted to. Goddesses, I wanted to. But my legs were like lead, weighing me down to the spot. I shook my head frantically, hoping to convey the message. _

_Though her eyes became hopelessly alarmed, she seemed to understand, and a split second later something was flying through the air towards me._

I could only watch helplessly as it sailed over my head and into the moat behind me with a plunk. 

_And when I turned around, she was gone. _

"_YOU."_

_Fear shot through me as I whipped around, swallowing the urge to scream. Suddenly, I knew exactly why the drawbridge was up, why the torches were lit. Why Zelda was running as though Hell was at her back._

_Because it was._

_Because of him._

_Ganondorf. _

_His eyes were like fire as they bored into mine, the menacing seven feet of him atop his ginormous steed enough to effectively paralyze me to the spot. It would be hopeless to outrun him anyway; better to divert him from his obvious intent: Zelda. _

"_You must have seen the white horse gallop past just now…" he growled, and his voice was exactly how you could picture power would sound like: deep and menacing and demanding and __**deadly.**__ "WHERE DID IT GO?" he yelled when I didn't answer, arms clenching. _

_A lump formed in my throat as I tried to silently coax my legs into being able to run. _

_So much for courage. _

"_ANSWER ME!" he screamed, and the terror that shot through me gave me the strength to back up a step. I_

_When I didn't, he took a deep breath, a low, rumbling laugh sounding from his chest. "So you think you can protect them from me…" he murmured, almost speaking to himself. "You've got nerves, kid."_

_I breathed in a shaking breath to compose myself, steeling everything inside me as I tentatively unsheathed my sword._

Nayru, I could just imagine the look on my face.

_Think "kicked puppy" but with the added bonus of being sopping wet to boot. _

_Glancing at my dagger (which at that point I realized would be nothing but a pinprick to the monster), he began to laugh again, louder this time, acidity burning in his tone. "How quaint." He sneered, beginning to pick at his nails. "The boy thinks he'll be able to fight me."_

_He raised a hand, a ball of crimson light forming in his palm._

_**Breathe, Link.**__ I reminded myself, knuckles turning white with the death grip I was giving to my sword. __**Every second he's here is a second farther Zelda is from him**__._

_And then, as the ball grew bigger, electricity humming in his hands, preparing to leave its host, __**This is going to hurt.**_

_I was right. _

_It hit me square in the chest, sending me flying a good ten feet and onto my back. I screamed on impact, but the sound was quickly silenced when all the air was knocked out of my chest, the ball of electric fire searing my skin, melting my poor Kokiri tunic to tatters. _

"_Pathetic little child." Ganondorf smiled as he reared his horse, preparing to take off into the night again. "Does he not realize who he's dealing with?"_

_As I struggled to regain my breathing and regulate my erratic heartbeat, he snapped the reigns of his horse, kicking up the dust in his wake._

"I AM GANONDORF." He roared to the heavens, and the lightning struck, emphasizing his words. "AND I SHALL RULE THE WORLD."

_For a long moment I simply laid on my back, chest burning with pain. _

_But then I remembered that Zelda had thrown something to me. She wanted me to have something, and I should get it._

_Drawing all my will, I slowly flipped over to my stomach, crawling on all fours to the seven feet or so to the moat._

_It may as well have been a mile._

_Every bump, every rock and crevice and blade of grass was a whip lashing fire across my torso, the magic in the burn searing with agony. Tears leaked from my eyes, but I refused to cry out, gritting my teeth and forcing myself to be brave._

I all but collapsed into the river, feeling around with my feet until they encountered something smooth and cool. I dove down to get it, fumbling blindly for several breaths, finally finding it on the fourth try. 

_I held it up to the light, entranced by the crystal blue that reflected the light of the torches._

_It was an ocarina._

Link. It whispered, sounding suspiciously like a certain princess I knew, and I was suddenly at full attention, holding the precious instrument up to my ear. _**Take…the stones…take….the Ocarina of Time…to the Temple of Time…play the song…that I taught you…be…safe…I will…see you… again…soon…**_

"_The Ocarina of Time." I whispered, mesmerized. _

_And that was the last thing I can recall before I passed out. _


	31. Twenty-One

**I've been toying with a lot of the ideas for the inevitable end of this story. In fact, I've written several different possible endings, each of which I feel provides a satisfying ending…but maybe not so much for you. I know there are some of you calling for Zelda's blood, waiting for Nox to just go completely (for lack of a better word) apeshit and ravage Hyrule, which is what I've been building towards the entire duration of this story. However, what's surprising is that there's a good number of you who are dreading this ending. Those firm ZeLinkers (or perhaps they just can't stand an unhappy ending) who just want everyone to turn out alright and have things all clichéd. Who believe Nox deserves Zelda in the end. I've thought of several possible solutions, but this one seems the most convenient to satisfy the biggest audience: how would you guys feel about possibly including alternate endings? One with the ending I originally planned, one with the complete opposite, and one in the middle. To be honest, I would be thrilled if people wanted to read Nox get together with Zelda in the end, since the challenge of keeping everyone in character and not completely ruining everything I've built will be a fun one. **

**I've set up a poll on my profile, but by all means, review and give me a more in depth opinion. I've very curious as to your standpoint. I don't want this to seem as a copout. **

**Hope you enjoy the chapter!**

**~Alyssa**

(PS: because someone asked, here are main character's ages as of now: Nox is 18, a few weeks away from being 19. Archer is 21. Kassia is 18. Zelda is 19. Wolfe just turned 15. Linden is 11. Oh, and Evelyne is 17. Figured I'd throw that in there just because she'll be playing a slightly larger part in the next few chapters)

_**Torpens dolor paulisper tantum facit eam peius, ubi tandem sentiunt.**_

…_**.**_

_**Numbing the pain for a short time will only make it worse when you finally feel it.  
**_

**ox(O)xo **

After two hours of impossible work in the training room of the barracks, I could walk again without trouble.

After four, I could hold my sword without shaking arms.

After five and a half, I could roll and dodge without my legs giving out.

At six, I could swing.

Every second was a struggle, but it wasn't without recompense. After all, every second I worked, every drop I sweated, I was closer to winning this tournament, closer to all my questions being answered.

Closer to her.

After strengthening my muscles to the point (however temporary) where they wouldn't give up on me, the rest was too simple. Though my body was weak, my mind was still strong, and it, at least, remembered everything Impa had taught me over the last several months. Every lunge and parry and any other technique that she had so painstakingly taught us were engraved into my memory, arms and legs at the ready to perform them. The dummies, with their bucket heads and potato-sack bodies, were no match.

It was invigorating. After three weeks of doing absolutely nothing, of being able to feel anything, see anything, _be _anything, I was in control. I was strong. I was deadly.

No, it wasn't just invigorating. It was glorious.

I spent the night in the barracks, hacking my way through an army of buckets and sacks stuffed with straw, feeling every muscle in my body strengthening with each passing minute. And though my bones ached and my lungs, burning in my chest, screamed at me to give up, my furiously beating heart pushed me onward.

Sure, the going was tough, but Farore was it rewarding.

Of course, the red potion Wolfe wordlessly offered me in the early hours of the morning helped too; it all but erased the exhaustion and the heavy feeling that was ensnaring my limbs. The fact that it was meant as a peace offering was obvious, though when he sat in the corner to watch me, the unamused glare on his face made it clear that he did not condone my actions. Not one bit.

Not that I cared.

By the time the town began to become loud with the sounds of the people flocking into the hastily erected stadium in the castle gardens, I was nothing less than a ruthless, deadly machine, ready for battle. Wolfe had left a short while ago to prepare himself, also planning on meeting with Baxter and the rest of them, who were due to show up in town sometime today. They would be watching the tournament along with the rest of the city, and I would see them afterward.

I quickly descended the stairs from the barracks, jogging merrily across the green of the grounds and around the back of the small stadium, where several heavily armed men were gathered, talking in hushed voices, crossing their arms so that their muscles flexed menacingly, trying to intimidate their adversaries. I smiled at the young woman who was manning registration, thanking her happily when she handed me my bundle of tournament-issued weaponry: one dull iron sword, one battered wooden shield, a bundle of chainmail, a cloth square with the number "13" emblazoned on it, and most interestingly, a tunic, forest green in color.

Before I had a chance to overthink this, she ushered me inside, closing the door behind and directing me down the hallway to the room where the rest of the Sheikah were preparing.

I hadn't taken two steps inside before a chorus of loud, unhappy moans filled the room. Wolfe, sitting smugly on a bench in the middle clothed in a silver tunic identical to mine, held out his hand and made a 'gimmie' gesture to Eli, who grudgingly handed over a yellow rupee.

"You made bets on whether or not I'd show?" I asked them, thoroughly amused, as three more yellow rupees and a handful of green ones flew through the air in Wolfe's general direction, pegging him in the torso. "I'm flattered."

"Not me," cut in Hank, buckling the belt on his tunic around his hips. "It could have gone either way. I'm poor enough as it is; the only thing I'll bet on is a sure thing."

Archer grinned from his spot in the corner. "I told them all it was a fool's bet." He stood up, disentangling himself from the lavender-clad Kynleigh, and coming to envelop me in a one armed hug. "It's good to see you lucid."

"Good to be lucid." I said, laughing as he oh-so-subtly tossed Wolfe a rupee behind my back. "Better to know how much faith you have in me."

He pulled away, shrugging shamelessly. "You've been out for what, two weeks?"

"Three," Wolfe corrected, gleefully polishing a blue rupee on his sleeve before tossing it onto the growing pile of bounty in his lap.

"Last time you stayed in bed that long, you were ten and you had the measles."

"And?" I asked, claiming a spot on the bench next to Wolfe and beginning to get changed.

"You couldn't stand up long enough to use the bathroom." Archer said plainly, and Kyn began to giggle at my expense. "I had to carry you."

"Times have changed, my brother." I said as I tossed my tunic over my head, lacing the belt into place. "Just in case you haven't noticed, I'm a big boy now."

"All _I _noticed," interjected Leila, closing the door behind her with a yellow tunic and a number '21' in hand. "Is Fortis telling everyone who will listen how badly he's going to beat you in the first round. They just posted the match ups out front. I'm with you." She gestured to Eli, who grinned, cracking his knuckles.

"It's on." He replied as Leila dumped her belongings next to Shadow, starting to unlace her boots. She turned around, sticking out her tongue.

They continued on with their playful banter, but abruptly, I had stopped caring. Of all the people in the tournament—and judging from the growing crowd waiting to register out front and the noise inside the hallway, there were plenty—I had to be paired with the biggest, angriest, cockiest moron in the entire competition? He would no doubt be playing to my weaknesses, and like most of the Sheikah, he just about knew them all.

But I had to win. There was no other option.

So I would.

And I'd be damned if I let _him _of all people stop me.

"Seriously, though, Nox. You've got to beat him." continued Leila, reinforcing my thought process. "He has been _such _a pain in training these last couple weeks. If he wins this thing, he'll be unbearable."

A beat of silence, and then,

"_That _I'd be willing to bet money on." said Hank.

Just then, the girl from the front popped her head in, interrupting the laughter that had erupted from everyone in the room. "Sorry," she said, cheeks flushing a light pink. "I'm looking for numbers five and seventeen. The competition is just about to begin, and they're up first."

"Me," Shadow said, jumping up from her seat and heading out the door. A minute or so later, judging by the sudden roar of the crowd, the tournament had officially begun.

I spent the good part of an hour having Wolfe, Eli, and Archer recap the last three weeks, the rest of the Sheikah leaving in ones and twos as their numbers were called. But soon, even they left, leaving me by myself in the eerily quiet room.

I don't know how long I sat before the cheery girl popped in again, beckoning me out into the hallway.

"I believe you're the last ones to go this round." She commented lightly as I followed her down the long hall, the hollering of the crowd getting progressively louder and louder with each step, until finally we reached the giant set of wooden doors that would release me into the arena.

"Good luck." She said, raising her knuckles to the wood and tapping twice.

The doors creaked open, and I walked outside, releasing me to the screaming of the audience and the blinding light of the sun. Vaguely I could make out Fortis doing the same at the other side of the arena, raising his hand in the air graciously like he was a returning war hero, smiling and waving and making a complete fool of himself. It was then that I noticed what he was wearing. It was the same issued tunic and chainmail, just as everyone else was wearing.

Identical to mine down to the last stitch, except, of course, for the color.

Black.

But this, I had only picked up from my peripheral vision. I wasn't looking at him, not really. My eyes were scanning the seats of the stadium, looking for the embellished throne up on some pedestal that would indicate her location.

There she was, right in the center of the masses, in an enclosed box full of all sorts of finery with her husband at her side and surrounded by the rest of the gentry. She was talking to the woman seated to her left, something about her health, possibly, considering one of her arms had come to cross somewhat defensively over her stomach, a crease forming in between her eyebrows as she spoke.

My gaze never left the box as I crossed mechanically to my place in the middle of the arena, eyes locked on her face, her body, trying to figure out could be wrong with her. "With the queen in her condition," Impa had stressed. What condition? Besides the sour expression now painting her face, she seemed fine. Perfect.

The king turned to her briefly, whispering something into her ear before returning to his conversation, blindly reaching for her hand, which had occupied the armrest of her chair until just a second before.

It was then, when she deftly avoided the contact by turning to someone behind her, that something clicked.

With her profile in full view, almost unperceivable at this distance and half-concealed by her arm, I could see the minute little bump protruding from her stomach.

Ah.

Ice filled my lungs as my mind put all the pieces together, so obvious to me now that it was out in the open. The extra guard, the time stressing the pathways to the nursery, the news that Lucien had delivered to the king three weeks previous.

Zelda was pregnant.

This fact had been bad enough to send me into a three-week coma the last time I found out.

But now, there was nothing but emptiness.

"Warriors, at the ready!"

The shout of the referee called my focus back to the task at hand.

This was a competition, and I was here to win.

Fortis grinned as he pulled his blade from his hip, and vaguely, I realized I was unsheathing my own, raising my right arm with shield in hand. Every muscle was suddenly tensed, ready to spring at my direction.

But…it wasn't _me_ doing it.

Through the misty haze clouding my mind, it occurred to me that I had never consciously decided to move. Never willed my limbs to ready my weaponry. Never told my muscles to curve my face into the sadistic smile that I could feel painting my lips. No matter how hard I internally struggled, I could not remove it, or even gesture to the referee that something was wrong.

Like…I was a puppet.

With someone else pulling the strings.

I had experienced this feeling in dreams before, some phantom controller showing me all of the twisted horrors of my mind when I was helpless to do anything about it. But I could wake up from these dreams—help from Eli and Archer and Wolfe aside. The terrors, the voice, they were all creations of my thoughts. They couldn't actually hurt me in the real world.

Or so I thought.

"Get set!"

As if the mention of him in my train of thought had summoned him, I began to hear the very same voice that I had battled every night in my dreams. I half expected him to rub it in, triumphant for somehow escaping the snare of my nightmares and coming to haunt me in my waking hours. To explain, at least, what he was doing, or why, as he always did.

But now, he just laughed, his high pitched cackle echoing my ears as my grip tightened on my sword.

And then I was running.

Faster than I had ever ran in my life, I tore across the fifty yards that separated us. Fortis, eyes glinting with excitement and arrogance, was the first to swing.

Steel clanged on steel, again and again in a deadly dance of lunges and parries that meshed together so exactly it could have been choreographed. No holes were left to be exploited.

We began to circle each other, tensed at the ready, neither one able to gain the advantage or find a weakness in the other's stance.

So Fortis chose to create one.

"So," he asked, voice amiable like we had just bumped into each other on a street corner, eyes burning with malice. "How's our Queen doing?"

Try as I might, there was no way I could hide the hatred and pain from my eyes. He smiled winningly, lunging for my legs. Distracted as I was, I was barely able to avoid the severing of my limbs by jumping over it.

"We all hear you talking in your sleep," he sneered, carefully watching my resolve. I bit down on my tongue. _Don't be hasty, now, _the voice in my head chided, though as he continued it got harder and harder to resist. Rage boiled inside me like a kettle overflowing with steam.

But I was not in charge, and the voice chose to wait. "Funny, how every night, you're whispering the same name. Zelda. Zelda. What's with that, Nox, hm?" His face twisted into a smile, beginning to croon at me like I was a small child. "Got a fetish for royalty? Got a big secret? You been fucking the Princes—"

With a loud cry, I lunged, my blade aiming to cleave his vulnerable, vulgar head in half. How dare he even imply that she ever did anything so grotesque as 'fucking' with _anyone_?! How dare he belittle her, try to use my nightmares against me, bring to the surface the horrible visions I'd had about her and that despicable King of Noamas that had stolen her away from me so permanently?! He would pay. He would die. Here and now, I would end it.

…And then, after I was done with him, I would end her, too.

I fought through a parasite-infested tree and watched the Deku Tree, the only father I had ever known, die for her. I traversed through a cavern full of Goron-eating dodongos and nearly burnt off my leg in the process for her. I turned my back on the boy that would have became my best friend in the world and let a newborn baby die for her. I let myself be eaten by a giant fish and carted around a spoiled rotten princess on my head whilst killing the monster that was devouring it alive for her. I cleansed countless temples and awakened six sages while the entire world crumbled around me for her. I killed The King of Thieves; a living, breathing person, for her.

It was she that had promised me the world; a family, a life, a happy ending.

But when it was all said and done, she sent me back in time.

This was all her fault.

Everything was _all her fault_.

_I see you no longer require my services_. whispered the voice, and I could hear the gleeful smile in his tone as he was suddenly gone from my mind.

No, I no longer required his services.

I had the power, once upon a time, that saved this kingdom. I helped build it back up, restored it to its former glory, put an incapable princess back on the throne, only to have her betray me in the worst way possible.

Yes, I saved this kingdom once.

But now, I would tear it back down.

Once again, I lunged for Fortis, a newfound speed and sureness in my swing as I pictured her in his place, at my mercy at last.

But he, unfortunately, did not keep with the charade. He ducked underneath my arm, but my right hand was there waiting for him. I grabbed him by the shoulder, bringing my knee up to kick him in the chest. He stumbled backwards, and in the second that he loosened his grip on his sword, it was out of his hands, flung into the air behind me where he wouldn't have a prayer of retrieving it.

I could have ended it there, if I had chose, simply relieving him of his shield in another fluid motion and having him surrender without anything to defend himself with.

But what would have been the fun in that?

Deftly, I charged him again, avoiding the feeble attack of the shield that he offered in defense. I curled my arm around his neck, twisting him into a headlock, forgoing the sword to instead beat him senseless with my own fists.

"How _DARE_ you!" I roared as I threw him to the ground, kicking his shield away in my fit of rage. His nose snapped underneath my foot with a satisfying sound, and blood began to gush onto the dirt.

He didn't even make a move to stop me as I continued to pummel him, slamming my fists into his face again and again until it resembled nothing more than a bloodied piece of meat.

I pressed my forearm against his neck, watching as he futilely struggled to break free of my hold, his lips beginning to turn blue as he gasped for air.

Oh, how I longed to silence that mouth forever, make sure he never said another foul word against me again. But vaguely, I remembered that Baxter was here, with Zenith and Garrett…and Linden. How could I explain my lack of mercy to her? How could she look at me again knowing that I had killed a man for sport? They were all I had left, whispered the near-silent voice of reason in the back of my mind.

However quiet it was, though, it was enough to bring me back to my senses.

It was almost painful to lean down, to put my ears to Fortis's lips and quietly whisper "Yield."

Painful as I spared the next three opponents I faced, knowing full well I could have easily killed them all.

Painful as the girl from the front came to the center of the arena and crowned me the victor, raising a bloodied hand high in the air as the crowd roared its approval, watching Zelda stand up from her seat and starting to leave her box.

And she began to descend the steps from her balcony to the floor, every eye in the stadium on her, watching in suspended silence. In a few moments, she was just before me, her thin ornamental sword in hand. It glittered in the sunlight, gems sending rainbows across my face.

But before I could make a move towards her, the voice was back with his cloudy control ensnaring my limbs, and I sank to one knee, head bowing in respect that she didn't deserve.

"Warrior." She acknowledged, and her voice carried over the silence with the wind, her steady soprano magically amplified so even the farthest away could hear her. "You have fought valiantly."

My entire body ached to unsheathe the bloodied sword at my hip and end her in one clean swipe. She was here, so _close_…it would almost be too simple. I could almost hear her last scream—no, she would not be allowed time to scream, however delicious the sound would be—I could almost feel the warmth of her blood against my skin.

But no. I was locked into place by the voice, puppet strings held taut.

_Soon. _he promised. _Patience._

I silently growled in frustration, hardly listening as she droned on.

"A time of need has befallen this nation." She continued, words flowing sinuously. "These are hard, dangerous times, in which we as a people must be united more than ever."

She paused a moment, raising her chin, eyes scanning the silent masses, meeting every one of their gazes at once.

"As such, we must look to our best and brightest, and hope that they will be our guides to lead us through the dark. This man here, he will be Hyrule's light."

The crowd roared its assent as she pressed a gentle hand to my shoulder. My jaw locked into place, muscles still out of my control.

"Which is why I wish to knight him."

Silence, again, as she turned to me, hand moving from my shoulder to my chin and lifting my bowed head. Her eyes burned fire into mine, daring me to object. "Warrior…do you accept?"

There were a thousand things that I wanted to say at that moment, with the mob of people watching and a sword in hand, with her husband far enough away not to come to her aid and a child in her belly, all of which the voice stopped in their tracks before they were able to come in to fruition. Instead, he urged my arm forward, my unwilling hand grasping hers and bringing it to my mouth.

"My lady," I whispered as my lips grazed her gloved hand, the voice taking pleasure in the scandalized gasp that rose from the masses. "…I would be honored."

She smiled then, though it was far from reaching her eyes. Slowly, she lifted her sword, flat side of the blade touching my left shoulder, then right, then the top of my head respectively, forming the symbol of the holy Triforce before she spoke again.

"Then arise, Sir Greenhero." She beamed, arm gesturing grandiosely to the awaiting stadium, who erupted in applause, cheers rising from every corner. "And greet your people!"

I kept with the act, bowing humbly and accepting the sword that was brought forth, showfully swinging it twice before twisting it around, artfully stowing it in the sheath on my back in a maneuver that looked much more complicated and impressive than it actually was.

But inside, my mind was raging with turmoil.

How did she remember that?

A thousand emotions raced through me in seconds; confusion, pain, anger, sorrow, more confusion…and to my disgust, a sickening amount of hope. Like somehow, this could change everything. Like her coincidentally picking out a name she had mentioned in a previous life would make her not pregnant and married and now that her temporary lapse in memory was over we could live happily ever after.

Hope. I scoffed at the word, crushed it like a bug underfoot. Hope had gone almost a decade ago, and there was no way I would let it ensnare my heart again.

Regardless of whether she remembered or not, there would be no forgiveness, no mercy for the abhorable woman once she had the ill fate to slip into my grasp.

I would have my revenge.

I would have my revenge if I had to destroy all of Hyrule to do it.

This is what I told myself as the crowd was released into the stadium, as Archer clasped me on the back with a terribly confused look in his eyes, as he told me he was going to see Baxter and the rest of the family and that once things died down to meet him there, as the people enveloped me and sang my praises and told me how wonderful I was.

But I couldn't care less what they had to say.

_I'll kill you_, I thought as I shook some noble's hand, briefly touching each person as I passed them by, trying to make my way to the drawbridge without drawing too much attention to myself. _And you_. _And you._

_All of you, if you dare stand in my way. _

After what seemed like an age, things finally did die down, and I was able to slip away unnoticed.

As soon as the voice relinquished control of my body, I ran away. But not to Baxter's. Instead through the crevices and alleyways of town and the secret and not-so-secret hallways of the castle until I had made it back to the barracks.

And there, safely in my room where no one would see, I vomited until there was nothing left to retch.

**This literally took forever, and I'm sorry for that. But we're hitting the climax, and I wanted it to be amazing. The fight scene took several revisions and help from one of my good friends (thank you, Sam, for all your guidance) to complete. Thank you all for your patience. I hope this lived up to your expectations. **

**We're more than 80% of the way there to my 500 review goal for this story. We can do it! We can do it! We can do it! (Because I have an extra special surprise for you guys if we do!)**

**Also, I know I say this all the time and I hardly ever follow through on it, but I'm in the works of my next project after this one, and I NEED A BETA. To my dismay, my brain decided it wanted to write some Zelink fluff, and at one in the morning all these things happened and suddenly I had a chapter and a half before I could stop myself. And now I'm in love. If you offered before, let me know if you're still interested, because I know a lot of you aren't into that kind of thing, and I PROMISE I'LL PICK ONE THIS TIME. I've already set up a whole bunch of negative repercussions for myself. Like if I wait longer than a week to pick one after this chapter is posted all my friends at school get to gang up on me during gym class.**

Trust me, I will not let that happen. /shudders.

**See you next update!**

~Alyssa


	32. Twenty-Two

**So, based on the general consensus, I have decided this: I will continue on the path that I have paved out the entire time, the original ending that was planned. However, after everything is said and done and the epilogue is finished, I will allow you the gift of pretending like the entire ending never happened and while you sew the tattered pieces of your soul back together, you can read the fluffy ending to heal yourself. Or, if you'd prefer not to, you don't have to. Sound fair? I sure think so. We're getting so close to the end, guys. Ten chapters at the most…but then again, I'm terrible at estimating. **

**In the interlude in this chapter, I'm experimenting with something potentially awkward and creepy and strange and urgh, I don't understand why I ship them but I do I honestly do and they're only four years apart so it works and I am the almighty author so they have to do what I say. But let me know what you think anyway, because I am doubting myself. **

**Hope you enjoy the chapter!**

~Alyssa

_**Primum corruent,**_ _**tunc casum.  
…**_

_**First the stumble, then the fall.**_

**ox(O)xo**

It took less than fifteen minutes for one of her minions to come and find me then, to escort me to where I would be staying from now on.

It was a splendorous place, after months of sleeping in a single cramped room with seven other boys on a bunkbed so thin I could feel the wooden rails of the supports underneath. Really, though, it was just a modest little room, thirty paces across at the most, the floor and walls bare except for a two mounted torches on either side of the wardrobe. Which, as I learned as I began to unpack my meager belongings inside, had a hidden panel in the back that could be pulled aside to reveal a secret passageway. Which, as I learned about five minutes after that, was an entrance to the fabled labyrinth of secret passageways that wound their way through Hyrule Castle.

But more specifically, a stone's throw from a similar entrance to said labyrinth in none other than the Queen's bedchamber, concealed by a conveniently translucent tapestry that was perfect for observing and not been seen.

The rest of the room, besides that that was taken up by the two empty bookshelves and a stiff wooden chair tucked away in the corner, was dominated by a very…sizable bed.

Which also happened to be extremely comfortable.

Which I had found out when Kassia had found me a half an hour or so later…When, of course, I had all but tackled her onto said comfortable bed after finding said tapestry and seeing things I should have never seen.

It was the first time I had ever done such a thing with her, but then again, it wasn't.

After all, how many times had I touched Kassia and pretended it was _her_ instead? What was the difference in using her in a more intimate way? Not a thing. But that didn't matter to me, as long as she provided me with my distraction.

And what was the harm, if she wasn't any wiser?

Now that I lived in the castle, with her two hallways away—thanks to her father, she was easily able to obtain a job when we had first gotten here as a lady-in-waiting for visiting nobles—it would be just too _easy_ to see her now, to have her help me now. With her, it was always too easy.

Perhaps that was the problem.

Or was the problem that I didn't care as long as I got what I wanted in the end?

"I still can't believe you won." She smiled, nudging me lightly with her elbow. We were still in lying down, tangled up in the sheets of my bed. "Sir Greenhero, huh? Isn't that something?"

The bubble of content that had erected around my aching heart abruptly popped, whatever small sense of normalcy I had been able to gain in the last two hours gone in an instant. Without her distractions to soften the blow, reality slapped me sharply back to my senses, reminding me again of who I was.

Though the rusty paring knife continued carving its way through my gut for the second time today, I returned her grin, winding my arms around her waist, pulling her close. Losing myself again in the expanse of silky soft skin of her neck, because how else would I be able to forget again? "Sure is," I muttered.

"You don't sound very excited," She observed, jumping lightly as my teeth grazed the sensitive spot behind her ear.

"I'm still just Nox," I murmured back, lying through my teeth.

Hell, when had I ever told her something that _wasn't_ a lie?

For a brief second, I was disgusted at myself, furious at the unfairness of it all, the blatancy in which I was using her, the way I didn't care if she was hurt.

But the bubble was back the instant her lips touched mine, and that was all that mattered.

It could have been seconds or minutes or hours or _days _later, for all I knew, but eventually, a sharp knock on the door brought me back to the world, making us both jump.

"Nox?" a voice asked, instantly recognizable as Garrett, even with it muffled through the door. There was no mistaking that demeaning, disapproving tone that always accompanied my name.

I groaned, rolling swiftly out of bed and searching the floor for my discarded clothes. "Just a second!" I called, motioning for Kassia to disperse. She laughed quietly as I struggled with my pants, tiptoeing over to the corner where Garrett wouldn't be able to see from the door.

Another series of raps came from behind the door, and an oath slipped through my lips when I realized I had put on my pants the wrong way.

"I'm not getting any younger out here, boy…"

I made the change to my trousers as quickly as I ever had before, taking the time to frantically kick Kassia's dress underneath the bed. Her shoes and apron were thrown into the wardrobe, the rest of my clothes in it as well. My eyes scanned the rest of the room, a quick once over to make sure I hadn't missed anything.

Only to turn around with a sigh of relief and a 'Come in' dying on my lips.

Because, there was Garrett, leaning casually against the door frame, staring distastefully over my shoulder.

Where, of course, the sleeve of a light blue dress was _just_ visible underneath the bed skirt.

_Damn_ mages and their lock-picking spells.

I could feel the blush crawling up my neck as I turned back around, sheepishly meeting his slightly appalled gaze.

"I'm not _interrupting _anything, am—" For a moment, he was grinning, but as soon as my eyes met his, the smile melted right off his face. Confusion, apprehension, _anger _flashed across his face for a split second before he regained control of himself, lips suddenly pursed together in a line so tight it wasn't even there, all humor in his demeanor abruptly gone.

"Garrett, what's—"

"It's nice to see you," He grinded out through clenched teeth, obviously struggling to keep himself under control.

"It's good to see you, too," I replied quickly, completely baffled at his sudden mood swing. What had I done? What had he seen in my eyes that repulsed him so? "How are the others? The baby? Are they—"

"They're all fine." He said, cutting me off again. "I was going to—but never mind. I—I've got to go—I mean, congratulations on the win. We're all proud of you. Linden especially. Now, I've got to go." Only towards the end did he stop tripping on his words, backing away out the door.

"Wait!" I cried as he reached for the knob. "Garrett, where are you—"

But before I could get so much as another word out, the door was slammed closed, and he was gone.

"What was that about?" asked Kassia as she crawled underneath the bed to retrieve her clothes.

I scratched the back of my head, running my fingers through my hair, eyes not wavering from the door.

"I have no idea," I said.

**ox(O)xo**

The Glaive sat tersely around their room at the ramshackle inn in the slums of Castle Town. The silence of the place was unsettling, though each was too deeply involved in their own thoughts and worries to make an attempt of conversation. Only the children were oblivious to the tense atmosphere, Linden sitting quietly in the corner reading a leather-bound book, fingers trailing across the satin of the pages. Baby Finley gurgled contently beside her on a bundle of blankets, every so often waving a fat fist in the air, grasping for objects only he could see. The remains of the fire sputtered in the fireplace, neglected for hours and leaving the room with an uncomfortable chill that was very out of place for the beginning of summer. No one cared enough to fix it.

Wolfe, having showed up just a few minutes before (without so much as a 'hello, it's good to see you' from either Baxter or Zenith, he might add), had occupied a weathered armchair in the corner, stewing in guilt and indecision. He hadn't told anyone about his revelation with Evelyne a few days before, and now that Archer had informed him of Garrett's suspicions, he was even more worried for his brother.

It was one thing to have a secret involvement with the married (and pregnant, a fact of which Nox seemed oblivious to) Queen of one's country, but it was another thing entirely to be doing it with the aid of some ancient, cursed magic.

Thinking it over in his head, he felt ridiculous even thinking what he just had about Nox. Although he had only known him for a bit over a year, Wolfe thought he had a good understanding of who he was. Just a week ago, all Nox was was a simple man with a good fiancé and an even better family, content to have no standing in life and nothing to his name so long as he had those he loved—and he loved them all more than anything. His favorite color was green (although if you asked him on a bad day, he would adamantly say it was blue), and was a better-than-average swordsman. Sure, he was plagued with nightmares, and had slight trust issues, but those could all be explained, if one tried hard enough.

But now…now, Wolfe wasn't so sure he knew who Nox was any longer.

The way he had wielded his blade as if he was a seasoned war hero, with the confidence and steadiness that only comes from years of experience. The way he dominated the tournament, the way he had the audacity to kiss the Queen's hand. And now Garrett, sensing the evil magic all over him. It just didn't make sense. It couldn't be explained. No matter how identical in appearance this man was to the man they all knew and loved, there was no way they were the same. This man _couldn't_ be Nox. Wolfe refused to believe it.

After what seemed like an age, the door slammed open, breaking the silence with the abrupt _BANG_, in walking the person they had been waiting for.

"I've got news, and you won't like it." Garrett muttered as he shed his traveling cloak, hanging it up on the rack along with his hat.

Baxter and Zenith stood quickly, their expressions a mess of concern, expectation, and relief—but mostly concern. "What's going on?" Baxter demanded.

"It's Nox. I just went to see him, and—"

A moment later, interrupting the mage, came Archer, his jaw squared and hair jet black, a faux scar stretching across his cheek that obviously drew inspiration from his own. Wolfe reached a hand up automatically, fingers trailing over the bumpy surface.

"I came as soon as I could." He panted, his appearance morphing back to normal before their eyes. "We're not supposed to leave the castle without permission. I had to sneak out. What's going on?"

"Garrett is angry at Nox." Linden informed him from her corner, eyes not wavering from her page. "But I don't know why." She paused, letting this sink in, and then continued to prattle. "Speaking of Nox, Baxter, when can we go see him?"

This, of course, was the last thing that any of them wanted to hear, but they couldn't easily tell the naïve girl that.

Baxter's eyes hardened as he turned around, forcing a smile onto his face. Wolfe had never seen the man less authentic. "Soon, princess." He promised. "Why don't you go down to the market, pick up what Zenith needs for dinner?"

"Why?" She challenged, standing up and crossing her arms. Every head in the room turned stiffly her way.

Wolfe was stunned. This bold young woman, standing there now with her brow knitted and her fists clenched, green eyes ablaze, was not the happy-go-lucky eleven year old girl they had left behind in Noamas. Anything but.

She had grown, Wolfe realized as he watched her stare down Baxter, chin raised defiantly. Several inches, in fact—whatever fat that remained from her childhood melting away to make up the difference. She had let her hair grow out as well; her once wild russet tendrils that were always smeared with dirt and debris now hung nearly to the small of her back, and styled so that her bangs were braided neatly away from her face, besides. She was even beginning to have a _figure_, for Nayru's sake, her snug dress clinging to the gentle slope of her waist, the tender swells of her breasts.

Where was the little girl who had taught him how to whistle with the thick blades of grass on the mountain side, who demanded he be her knight in shining armor as they traversed the secret places of Amex manor, who rolled around in the mud and did what she was told and would kill for the chance to go off on an adventure to explore a new, exciting town by herself.

Half a year they had been gone. Just six months. How could she have become so different? How could he not have noticed?

"Linden, please. Don't be difficult." Zenith said quietly, eyes downcast.

"Difficult?!" Linden exploded, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "You think I'm being difficult? I'm not _stupid_, you know! I have ears! I know you're just trying to get rid of me so you can talk about Nox! Did it ever occur to you that I care about him, too? That I want to know what's happened to him? Or do you think I'm still a naïve little six year old girl who needs to be _protected_ by these things?" She snarled, and Wolfe, still safely in his corner, blushed with chagrin. Just a few moments ago, he _had_ thought exactly that.

Baxter's eyes softened, guilt glistening very clearly in their watery grey depths. "Princess…"

"And _don't_ call me princess! I'm not a baby anymore!" She snapped, stalking over to the door and grabbing an empty basket off the floor. "But since you seem to think so, I might as well just go. 'The grown-ups are talking,' right?" She laughed harshly, wrenching open the door and slamming it shut, leaving the group incredibly flustered. Finley squealed, confused, and Zenith went over to him, picking him up and resting his head on her shoulder, bouncing him lightly.

Archer opened his mouth to say something, but Baxter held up a hand, using the other to tiredly run his fingers through his hair. He turned to Garrett. "What were you saying?" He asked, sighing lightly.

"It's Nox." Garrett repeated, sitting down by the fire, resting his elbows on his knees. "There's no doubt about it now. He's been taken by dark magic."

Baxter's face darkened considerably. "You're positive?"

"No doubt." The mage said again. "This was my concern from the beginning. No one around him is safe anymore. We can't associate ourselves with him."

Zenith shook her head violently. "I refuse to just _abandon _him. There's got to be something we can do!"

"There's no way to know." Garrett said grimly. "Black magic is volatile. There's no way to predict what he'll do, when he'll lose it. If what Archer's told me is correct, he's already past the general point of no return—the coma, that was his body trying to fight it off, and based on his actions yesterday, he lost. The boy's done nothing but play with a stick in the backyard all his life, three months of training couldn't have turned him into _that._"

"…So you're saying he's going to die?" Zenith asked, voice little more than a whimper. She hugged her son close, burying her face in his downy auburn curls, hiding her tears. Baxter walked over, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"Honestly?" the mage asked, ignoring Baxter's pointed glare. "It could be much worse. He's not himself anymore, so who knows what he'll do? It would be helpful if we knew what kind of magic we're dealing with, where he got it, or who gave it to him—"

"There's no way he did this on purpose." Wolfe spoke up from his corner for the first time, vicious protectiveness in his voice. "He's always been with me and Archer, we've never been separated for any length of time…and he was fine, when we were in Noamas, wasn't he?"

"Yes," Garrett confirmed. "But magic doesn't take long to obtain if you know where to look. Archer, Wolfe, think about it. When has he been alone, really alone, when no one would be able to interrupt him? It could be any length of time."

Wolfe was about to repeat himself, say yet again that there was no way, when Archer suddenly stood from his place by the door, clutching his head in his hands.

"SHIT!" he yelled, looking the equivalent of a child having a tantrum, face twisted with revelation. "I—he was—he was only in there for ten minutes!" He began to pace, shouting bits of sentences that made absolutely no sense to anyone else. "The cuts on his face—I didn't—I never—_SHIT._"

"What, Archer?" Garrett demanded, but was ignored, the meaningless babble still spewing from the young man's lips. "I can't believe—the fucking _idiot_, how could he have—I don't—"

Baxter strode over to him, forcefully grabbing him by the shoulders, shaking him in the process, forcing him to look him in the eye. He abruptly stopped talking. "_WHAT, _ARCHER?" Baxter roared, and Wolfe had never seen such fierceness in his eyes.

"HE BROKE THE MIRROR!" Archer shouted back, hair twisting in his fists, crimson eyes both grief-stricken and crazed. "HE BROKE THE MIRROR AND NOW HE'S AS GOOD AS DEAD!" Breaking free from the bigger man's grasp, he stalked over to the fire, sitting down and putting his head in his hands, hiding his face from the rest of them.

For a moment, no one spoke, dumbfounded by his response. And then,

"The mirrors that I'm thinking of?" Garrett asked tentatively, as if he wished with all his heart that the answer was no. "The…Vera Ostium?" The foreign words that sounded suspiciously like Sheikahn flowed from his tongue, and dread began to settle in Wolfe's gut.

Archer, past the point of words, nodded.

"What the Hell is going on?" Baxter demanded, rounding on Garrett, who shook his head sadly, slowly going back and forth. "What does that mean?!"

"It means," he said slowly, "There's an ancient ghost of a Sheikah with a vendetta bigger than you could possibly imagine who's hell-bent on destroying Hyrule in the most violent and bloody way possible…

And he's using Nox as a vessel."


	33. An Interlude 11

**GUYS.  
GUYS.  
GUYS.  
WE HIT 500 REVIEWS.**

**God, I have no idea what to say without sounding like a screechy little girl. Just…wow, I love you guys. Thank you to each and every one of you for supporting me and reading my story, for keeping me going with all the great praise (and criticism). I've really grown as an author over the last year, and that is largely contributed to you. Without you, I wouldn't be where I am right now, with almost 100,000 hits and on the second page of the review leaderboard. I can't say thank you enough. I'm glad you've enjoyed my story thus far, and I hope you stick around until the end.**

**Hope you enjoy the chapter!**

**xoxo,  
Alyssa**

_This couldn't be happening._

_I **refused **to believe that this was happening._

_One second, I was pulling a sword out of a pedestal (which I **clearly** remember having to stand up on to reach the hilt of), and then all of a sudden I was seeing the world from a vantage point at **least **two feet higher than it was previously. _

_Except I wasn't even in the Temple of Time anymore, let alone anywhere in Hyrule. Just a glowing blue perfectly round platform, just casually **suspended** in space, which I didn't even have time to properly freak out over before a crazy old man who looked suspiciously like a certain owl that I knew decided it would be a good idea to answer all my questions all at once without even one thought as to my feelings or my rapidly draining sanity._

_Hello, he said. I'm sorry your entire life everyone neglected to tell you this, but you are actually the Hero of Time. Your sole purpose in life is to protect Hyrule against the menace and exponentially-more-powerful-than-you Ganondorf, who has currently taken over Hyrule in some twisted dictatorship because seven years ago you and our silly little princess handed him everything he needed to take over on a silver platter, and now you have to stop him!_

_Did I add enough emphasis on the_

_**seven years **part?_

_Because that's how long I was asleep for, hence the whole two-feet taller, two octaves deeper thing._

_And I wasn't even_

_**close **to being done with the changes that I've discovered over the last half an hour._

_My arms and legs were muscular and strong. The fabric of my tunic (which I might add, somehow magically grew with me) stretched over the toned surface of my chest. There's stubble growing on my chin. Those and a million other little signs that time has passed and that I was irreversibly different. _

_Did I mention that I have an earring now? _

_I do._

_And I didn't want to even think about how._

_For a long time, I sat on the steps to the pedestal with my head in my hands, trying to muster just a bit of strength to face the world outside. From what Rauru had told me, the place was a wasteland. Castle Town had been ravaged, Hyrule Castle demolished to the ground, a terrifying fortress now in its place. Din knew what happened to all those people I used to see around town; the man that ran the archery shop, the little girl chasing a cuckoo round and round the square, the couple spinning happily by the fountain, and the Princess…_

_Zelda…_

_It was the thought of her, screaming my name as she tore through the drawbridge with the fear of Hell in her eyes, that finally gave me the will to move my legs, standing up with a deep breath. **Zelda's out there,** I told myself. **She's waiting for me. I will not let her down.**_

_So, bolstering all the courage that I possessed, I walked through the gate of Time, watching as the stone slid its way into place with a dull **thump.**_

_"I've been waiting for you, Hero of Time…"_

_The unrecognizable voice threw me for a split second, but I whirled around and unsheathed my sword in record time, eyes searching the shadows for the threat._

_"Calm yourself," said the voice to my left, stepping out of the dark corner with hands raised in a gesture of surrender. "I am no enemy of yours."_

_He was small, perhaps five feet at the most, clothed in the same dark grey and blue jumpsuit that Impa wore, the garb of the Sheikah. Though I didn't know his voice, there was just something horrifically familiar about him that I couldn't place._

_It wasn't until he looked up that I realized._

_Though his face was almost completely covered by his shawl and his hair had been unforgivingly chopped off and the hue of his pupils were a menacing blood red, he couldn't fool me._

_Seven years or not, I'd know those eyes anywhere._

_"When evil rules all, th—"_

_"Zelda?" I whispered, watching as his eyes widened slightly, abruptly stopping in his tracks._

_He took a step backwards, towards the shadows. "I—" he began, but cut himself off, bringing a hand to his chest in a very feminine manner, but a second later, he was off like a flash._

_But the door was past me, and I was faster._

_Quick as a whip, I reached out with the hand unoccupied by my sword, snatching his forearm and dragging him to a halt, pulling him off the ground so he was eye level with me and his feet could find no purchase._

_"Unhand me!" he snarled, writhing to break free, but in the heat of the moment, he didn't remember to guard his voice. What was once a tenor, almost as deep as mine, was now a low soprano, very feminine, very harassed, and **very** much like the Princess that I had known seven years ago, minus the squeakiness of girlhood. _

_"Good to see you alive and well, too," I noted, rolling my eyes. "Considering last time I saw you, I was convinced you were going to die."_

_The crimson eyes that were just a second ago full of loathing were now conflicted. "I—I don't know what you're talking about." He said, and I remarked on how pitiful the disguise really was. "My name is She—"_

_But I had already reached up with my free hand, pulling down the shawl that covered the majority of his face around his neck._

_Perfect pink lips, set into a furious scowl. A spray of barely-there, cinnamon colored freckles across the bridge of his nose. A small white slit just beside his chin, a scar from when I had pushed him over when we were children and cut it against a rock. _

_Or should I say hers?_

_"Fancy seeing you here, Princess," I said amiably, as casually as if remarking on the weather. She grimaced, going limp in my arms, accepting her defeat as I smiled wickedly. _

_"Boy, do you have some explaining to do…" _

**As the story is drawing to a close, I've been going through my drafts feeling so sorry for all the cute interludes and other parts that I wrote and loved that just don't have a place in the story. I've decided to post them after it's over, because what's the point if they're just going to rot in my documents? In addition to this, if anyone wants to suggest a prompt for a character they'd like to see more of, or a backstory, or just a cute/funny scene between characters, review or PM me! (or check out the poll on my profile for some of my ideas). You can ask for any combination of any characters from this story, boths OCs and not, just try to keep it less than four, to make it possible. And don't be afraid to be creative, I'm up for a challenge!**

Next chapter coming soon!

~Alyssa


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